WIMMERA residents are encouraged to get together and have a conversation about domestic violence on Friday for White Ribbon Night.
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It comes after statistics revealed a link between domestic abuse and suicide.
Grampians Community Health regional family violence co-ordinator and Wimmera White Ribbon Committee convenor Ross Anders said the effects of domestic violence were horrific.
"Domestic violence is felt across the whole service sector, from mental to financial support services,” he said.
"It is the number one cause of homelessness in women.”
Research by St Vincent's Hospital Clinical School at the University of Melbourne revealed almost half of all women and a third of all men who died by suicide between 2009 and 2012 in Victoria had been exposed to violence.
The study showed one in four women who died by suicide had been the victim of physical violence, one in five had suffered psychological violence, and one in six had been sexually assaulted.
In 70 per cent of cases this abuse occurred within an intimate or family relationship.
Mr Anders said the statistics were shocking.
"One of the myths is domestic violence is that it is a purely physical act," he said.
"It's also power and control tactics, it's financial, mental, psychological - not just physical and sexual abuse.”
Mr Anders said the Wimmera was far from immune.
"Wimmera police responded to nearly 900 domestic violence incidents in a 12-month period in 2012 and 2013,” he said.
Mr Anders said domestic violence deaths had risen.
“Statistics showed one woman would die at the hands of domestic violence a week,” he said.
"In 2015 this has doubled to two women a week – it's extremely alarming.”
He said it was more important than ever to start a community conversation about domestic violence.
"The stats on family violence and violence against woman are not just stats,” he said.
"They're wives, daughters, sisters and friends of ours.”
Mr Anders encouraged people to get together on Friday night to encourage a strong community stance against domestic violence and raise money for White Ribbon Australia.
He said events could include a football and pizza night, movie night or a barbeque.
- with The Age
