Each year, for over a decade, communities around Australia have been gathering to light candles in remembrance of women and children who have lost their lives as a result of family violence.

This year’s local event will be the ninth vigil to be organised in Hobart, and will be held on the Parliament House Lawns at 5:30pm on Wednesday the 3rd of May. This date is chosen, in the lead-up to Mother’s day, recognising that family violence affects all members of the family.

Representing a combined group of government and non-government family violence services, Alina Thomas CEO of family violence counselling service, Support, Help and Empowerment (SHE) says “attending the candlelight vigil is a great way to convey community support to those who have suffered, and those who are still suffering in abusive relationships”.

It is vital to raise community awareness of the huge impact family violence continues to have in Australia. Women who are abused by their partners are faced with many barriers that make seeking help to end the violence difficult, and raising community awareness is an important step in removing these barriers. The vigil provides an opportunity for people to honour those affected by family violence.

The vigil is great opportunity to support Tasmania’s hard working services, who continuously provide much needed help and assistance to women in crisis. “The demand on our services is relentless, a demand that will not change until we get serious about challenging the social causes of family violence in Tasmania,” comments Ms Thomas.

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 Support, Help and Empowerment 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.

Further information about the SafeNet Australia Family Violence Candlelight Vigils can be found here: – https://fvcandlelightvigil.org.au

For more information on Support, Help and Empowerment, visit www.she.org.au

• Candlelight Vigils to be held across Australia on May 3 to honour those killed through family violence

Wednesday 3 May will see communities across Australia gather together to light a candle to remember the women and children who have lost their lives due to family violence.

In what promises to be a series of moving tributes, the Candlelight Vigils are to be held simultaneously in Victoria, ACT, West Australia, Queensland, WA, Tasmania and South Australia.

The Vigils are being organised by member agencies of Safe Net Australia – an association of both government and non-government, state-wide domestic and family violence crisis and counselling telephone services.

Since the SafeNet Candlelight Vigils were held at the same time last year, over 45 women and children have been killed in Australia as a result of family violence.

For every death, there are hundreds of thousands of women and children with a lived experience of emotional, physical, sexual and economic abuse.

Speaking on behalf of SafeNet Australia member organisations, Annette Gillespie, CEO of safe steps Family Violence Response Centre, says the Candlelight Vigils are vital in bringing community members together to raise awareness about family violence.

“The underlying purpose of the Family and Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigils are to bring the community together in each state and territory to remember the women and children who have lost their lives as a result of family violence,” says Ms Gillespie.

“It is also a call to action for individuals to speak out against family violence, and for those experiencing it to seek support.

“Family violence, which includes domestic violence, abuse and intimate partner violence, affects the entire Australian community.”

Members of SafeNet Australia have been hosting Candle Lighting Vigils around Australia on the National Day of Remembrance for over 15 years. The National Day of Remembrance is acknowledged on the first Wednesday of May each year.

SafeNet Australia is a network of state-wide domestic and family violence crisis services across Australia.

Its aim is to increase the efficiency and validity of services provided to all Australian women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.

The network is uniquely placed to have a comprehensive overview of the needs of women and children who require crisis services in each state and territory. Through sharing critical information,
and identify emerging concerns and opportunities, SafeNet Australia intends to enhance specialist responses and drive reforms to strengthen the service systems available to women and children.

Further information about the SafeNet Australia Family Violence Candlelight Vigils can be found here: – https://fvcandlelightvigil.org.au

If you or someone you care about is living with an abusive partner or family member call the Family Violence Crisis line in your state or Territory:

• ACT – Domestic Violence Crisis Service: 02 6280 0900
• QLD – DV Connect: 1800 811 811
• NSW – Domestic Violence Line: 1800 656 463
• VIC – safe steps Family Violence Response Centre: 1800 015 188
• TAS – Family Violence Counselling and Support Services: 1800 608 122
• NT – Dawnhouse: 08 8945 1388
• SA – Domestic Violence and Aboriginal Family Violence Gateway Service: 1800 800 098
• WA – Crisis Care Helpline: 1800 199 008
Alina Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Support, Help and Empowerment