A Purple Bench honouring all victims killed because of family and domestic violence has been unveiled at Coolbellup Hub.
The unveiling coincides with the 16 Days in WA campaign which encourages communities to educate, motivate and advocate to stand up to, and stop, violence against women.
The bench is the second to be dedicated in Cockburn; the first was at the City’s Spearwood Administration Centre on 6 June 2018.
The City joined with the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing (CWSW) to enable the latest project which comes at a time when gender-based violence, including violence against children and young people, has been called a national crisis by the Federal Government.
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said the highly visible Purple Bench was another way to send the vital message that domestic and family violence against women and children and young people, including coercive and controlling behaviour, was never acceptable in any community.
“It is a tragedy that since the first bench was unveiled in Cockburn, domestic and family violence against women and children and young people last year increased to the highest number in 31 years,” Mayor Howlett said.
“Violence against women and children is a sad and terrifying reality in our community, in every community, which we must all work hard to recognise and find real solutions for.
“Aside from the many other preventative and support activities and services our City provides to reduce the impacts of domestic and family violence in Cockburn, installing a Purple Bench may seem trivial.
“But appearing all over Perth, they are a public, visual reminder that as a society we must make radical change to benefit the current and future generations to save them from this deadly scourge.
“It can sometimes be hard to admit when we need help, and even harder to ask for it. Each Purple Bench includes a plaque with a phone number that people can call to get help.”
CWSW CEO Dr Alison Evans said purple benches were a poignant reminder of the devastating effects of family and domestic violence in our communities.
“WA has the second highest rate of family and domestic violence in the country. It’s so vital that we all play our part to end men’s violence against women,” Dr Evans said.
“We must believe victim-survivors, believe in actions like the State Government’s System Reform plan, and believe that together we can change and work towards a safer WA for women and children.”
Search online to learn about the
16 Days in WA campaign and the
Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.
Caption: l-r, Karoline Jamieson (City of Cockburn Head of Community Development and Services), Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett, Anna Farrant (Manager, Family and Domestic Violence, Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing), Erin Wade (Warrawee Refuge Manager), and Mike Martin (Acting Manager, Family and Domestic Violence Response Team, Department of Communities).