Cade Lucas
A national rally calling for action to end gendered, sexual, domestic, and family violence will come to Wyndham this weekend.
No More: A National Rally Against Violence, will be held at locations across the country from July 26 to 27, with the Wyndham event taking place on Saturday at Station Place in Werribee.
Organised by anti-sexual violence not-for-profit, What Were You Wearing (WWYW), the latest round of ‘No More’ rallies follow on from initial protests in April that attracted more than 100,000 people across the country.
Saturday’s rally in Werribee is being jointly organised by Wyndham women Kylie Borg and Kylie Borely.
“As a resident of Hoppers Crossing, I felt this rally was needed in Wyndham due to the high percentage of violence against women and children in our community,” explained Ms Borg as to how the idea for the Werribee rally came about.
At the Werribee rally, a flower tribute honouring 53 women killed as a result of gendered violence this year will be presented.
As at all other rallies, protesters in Werribee will also be pushing for two national demands: mandatory trauma-informed training for first responders across Australia and funding for grassroots organisations in the domestic, family, and sexual violence sector, including women’s refuges and men’s behaviour change programs.
WWYW chief financial officer and long-time volunteer Ethan Fraser emphasised the importance of male support on this issue.
“When it’s us men who are the predominant perpetrators of violence, it shouldn’t be left to everyone else and the victims to address and fight the issue. If we aren’t willing to support and continue to deny there’s a problem, nothing will change,” he said.
The Werribee rally is one of 25 to be held at locations across the country this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Protesters will gather in Station Place at 2pm, with Wyndham mayor Jennie Barrera among those who will give speeches.
Performances, organised activities and support services for survivor victims will also be on offer.
