The Liberal Government is committed to working with the community to reduce violence against women and children.
Today is V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls that was started in 1998 by author, playwright and activist Eve Ensler, and inspired by her famous play The Vagina Monologues.
The One Billion Rising Campaign was launched in conjunction with V-Day in 2012 and the events continue to be celebrated together, serving to remind us that we must continue to tackle the serious issues of sexual and family violence against women.
One Billion Rising draws its name from the terrible statistic that one in three women will experience violence at least once in their lifetimes, adding up to more than a billion women and girls across the world.
V-Day 2015 and the One Billion Rising campaign will be celebrated in Tasmania with a flash mob on Parliament Lawns in Hobart at midday today and the launch of the Hobart season of The Vagina Monologues.
The 2013 National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey found that most Australians recognise that violence against women includes a range of behaviours, not just physical violence.
Demonstrating the need for V-Day and the One Billion Rising campaign, however, is the fact that up to one in five people still believe that there are situations in which women bear some responsibility for the violence.
This is the victim-blaming attitude that we must change if we are to address family and sexual violence, and keep women and girls safe in our community.
Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Women
