Gannawarra Goes Orange
Published on 22 November 2017
GANNAWARRA GOES ORANGE
MEDIA RELEASE
A Victoria against Violence event will take place in Cohuna next week to raise awareness of gender equality and the prevention of family violence.
‘Gannawarra Goes Orange’ will take place on Wednesday 29 November where Gannawarra Shire Council Mayor Brian Gibson and other leading business and sporting club community leaders will take the White Ribbon Oath.
“The White Ribbon Oath is a commitment to stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women,” said Mayor Gibson. “The statistics around family violence across our communities continue to rise and this event is about community leaders standing up, speaking out and very clearly saying that no level of family violence in our community is acceptable.”
The event is an initiative of the Gannawarra Local Agency Meeting (GLAM); a partnership made up of Gannawarra Shire Council, Northern District Community Health, Kerang District Health, Cohuna District Hospital, Victoria Police, Mallee District Aboriginal Services and Mallee Family Care, with additional support from the Southern Mallee Primary Care Partnership and Women’s Health Loddon Mallee.
Northern District Community Health Chief Executive Officer Mandy Hutchinson said that the event was an important next step for agencies to demonstrate a united approach to preventing family violence and to raise awareness that family violence is a gendered issue that is heavily weighted towards impacting women and their children.
“While no level of violence is acceptable, family violence is a gendered issue, overwhelmingly committed by men against women,” said Ms. Hutchinson.
“As a partnership we are working to raise awareness of the link between gender equality and family violence and to build the capacity of community members to know what to do if they see or hear anything in their communities that may indicate that family violence is occurring.”
The colour orange is the United Nations colour for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women held annually on November 25. The Victoria against Violence campaign runs from November 25 and finishes on Human Rights Day on December 10.
Community members across the Gannawarra Shire are encouraged to get involved in ‘Gannawarra Goes Orange’ day by wearing the colour orange, decorating a shop front, house or street in orange, hosting a morning tea with an orange theme and sharing the importance of gender equality and the prevention of family violence with family, friends and colleagues.
Following the White Ribbon Oath at the Cohuna Gateway Centre at 4.30pm, community members are encouraged to walk to Northern District Community Health, King Edward Street Cohuna to share afternoon tea and an information session “Living in a digital world – tips on how to keep you and your family safe online.”
Community members are encouraged to share activities held as part of ‘Gannawarra Goes Orange’ day on social media using the hashtags: #GannawarraGoesOrange #PutYourHandUp #GoOrange #FreeFromViolence #WHLM4Women.
For more information please contact Council on 5450 9333 or visit council’s website www.gannawarra.vic.gov.au
…ENDS…
Date: 22 November 2017
Media contact: Katrina Thorne T. 03 5450 9333 M. 0409 616 627