In Summary
- Greater Shepparton City Council and local organisations are participating in the global 16 Days of Activism campaign (25 November - 10 December) to raise awareness about gender equality and eliminate gender-based violence.
- Key events include a community forum at Shepparton Art Museum, a community walk at Victoria Park Lake, ‘coffee and chat’ sessions, and impactful messages painted in public spaces like Deakin Recreation Reserve.
- Campaign messages focus on statistics, such as 71,528 female victims of family violence incidents in Victoria in 2023, and emphasise themes like respect, equality, and safety across billboards, social media and landmarks lit in orange.
- CEO Fiona Le Gassick reaffirmed Council’s dedication to addressing family violence in Greater Shepparton, highlighting its active role in fostering a respectful and violence-free community.
The campaign aims to generate conversation and awareness regarding gender equality, with a specific call to action for the prevention and elimination of gendered violence against women and girls. The 16 Days of Activism commences on Monday 25 November in recognition of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until Tuesday 10 December - International Human Rights Day.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, a number of events and activities, organised by Goulburn Valley organisations, will be taking place across the region. Council also invites the community to look out for messages across billboards and social media, addressing subjects such as respect, equality and the right to feel safe.
One of the main activities, arranged by the Goulburn Valley 16 Days planning committee, is ‘Painting out violence’, featuring key family violence messages painted across different Council parks, recreation reserves and the GOTAFE Shepparton main campus.
A key message painted into Deakin recreation reserve on Friday 29 November will be the number 71,528.
“Out of Victoria Police callouts to family violence incidents, female victims outnumber male victim reports by a ratio of nearly three to one. In the year ending March 2024, there was 95,926 family violence incidents attended by Victoria Police. Of these incidents, 71,528 were female victims.” - Crime Statistics Agency 2023.
Other painted sites will see a hashtag and a STOP hand logo, among key words like RESPECT.
Key events over the campaign involve a community forum at the Shepparton Art Museum on Friday 29 November, a community walk at Victoria Park Lake on Sunday 8 December, and several community ‘coffee and chat’ sessions across the region. Council will also light up key assets in orange, the official colour of the campaign. As a bright and optimistic colour, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.
Greater Shepparton City Council CEO, Fiona Le Gassick, highlights how Council is actively working towards creating a safer community for women and children, and encourages community members to seek further information to understand the complexities of gender-based violence and what can be done to prevent and elimination such violence.
“Of significant concern, Greater Shepparton experienced the highest number of family violence assaults within Victoria in 2023. As a local government organisation, we take the role we play in creating a safe and respectful community extremely seriously, which is why we are once again taking a lead and active role in supporting this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign,” she said.
“This year we are promoting ’16 Days of messaging’ across billboards and our social media each day, painting key messages into local landmarks and importantly working in partnership with community agencies on a range of activities and events to encourage members of our community to send a clear message that violence against women and young girls is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.”
