By Jessica Anstice
Organisations across the Cardinia Shire are actively promoting and supporting White Ribbon Day on Friday 20 November.
Cardinia Shire Council is among those raising awareness and committing to action to prevent men’s violence against women.
This year’s Cardinia Shire White Ribbon Day event will be held online with a virtual ‘White Ribbon Art Gallery’ which has been organised by the Casey Cardinia Family Violence Network thanks to council funding.
Traditionally, the council supports the White Ribbon Day March Against Violence with a local event, held every year on the first Friday before 25 November, however, this could not go ahead due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Community members are invited to submit art works to the gallery which will be featured on the White Ribbon Cardinia Casey Facebook page until 13 December.
Similar to the March Against Violence, the gallery aims to provide community members with an opportunity to come together, raise awareness and commit to action to prevent violence against women.
Residents can submit their artwork by emailing whiteribbonartgallery@gmail.com.
Local schools and kindergartens will be provided with a White Ribbon pack that contains a page for children to draw a picture of their family, which can be submitted to the art gallery or taken home to share with family members.
The key messaging of the pack is that ‘everyone has the right to feel safe at home’.
The council is also supporting Respect Victoria’s 16 Days of Activism which is on from Wednesday 25 November to Thursday 10 December.
White Ribbon Australia: www.whiteribbon.org.au
Respect Victoria’s 16 Days of Activism: www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au
Cardinia Shire Council’s Together We Can initiative: www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/familyviolence
If you are currently experiencing family violence, and it is an emergency, dial 000 and ask to speak to the police.
