Wednesday 4 May will see communities across Australia gather together to light a candle and pay tribute to the women and children who have lost their lives due to family violence.

The vigils, which are held simultaneously in states and territories across Australia, are organised by member agencies of DFVCLAN – the Domestic and Family Violence Crisis Lines of Australia Network.

This year in Hobart the candlelight vigil will be held at 5.30pm at Parliament House lawns.

Representing the combined group of government and non-government family violence services, Alina Thomas EO of SHE says that the vigil send important messages to the community about the seriousness of family violence. “Over recent years we have seen the vigil growing in size as our awareness and intolerance of violence against women increases. This is a social issue that is not going away and we are seeing more and more community members come out to say that women have the right to live in safe communities”, states Ms Thomas.

The Candlelight Vigils are a moving tribute to the women and children who have lost their lives due to family violence. “They also send a message to people who are living with family violence or who have left abusive and violence relationships that the community cares,” Ms Thomas explains.

Over the past 12 months the state and federal governments have both taken unprecedented steps to address family violence through strengthening responses and making the combined systems more efficient and effective.

With all family violence services experiencing peak levels of demand Ms Thomas states, “We are looking forward to the family violence services in Tasmania being bolstered by additional funding, we all have longer waiting lists, and are turning women away at rates that have never been seen before.”

Since the DFVCLAN Candlelight Vigils were held at the same time last year, up to 77 women and children have been killed in Australia as a result of family violence.

The first Candlelight Vigil to honour women killed by family violence in Australia was held in Queensland in 2004. Vigils have been held in Tasmania since 2009 and is held on the first Wednesday of May, on the lead up to Mother’s Day.

If you or someone you care about is living with an abusive partner or family member call the Family Violence Counselling and Support Services: 1800 608 122 or SHE on 6278 9090.

Statistics on Family Violence in Australia

• Australian women are most likely to experience physical and sexual violence in their home, at the hands of a former or current male partner.
• 15 per cent of women had experienced physical or sexual violence from an ex-partner (the most likely type of known perpetrator for a female victim).
• For 62 per cent of the women who had experienced physical assault by a male perpetrator, the most recent incident was in their home.
• In 2015, a woman in Australia was killed by a current or former male partner nearly every week.
Alina Thomas, Executive Officer, SHE