Today is November 25th, also known as White Ribbon Day. White Ribbon Day was created to help raise awareness of domestic violence and help erase the stigma surrounding domestic violence. At 19 years of age I should not be able to relate to this day, but I can. Better than I ever hoped I would. Over the past two years my life was turned upside down and I was torn to pieces, covered in bruises head to toe, but Im classed as one of the lucky ones. Every single week one woman is killed by her partner or former partner, but Australians are still turning a blind eye. One in three women have experienced some sort of violence since the age of 15, while one in five women have been stalked. It is believed that domestic violence costs the Australian economy $14.4 billion a year, and yet still nothing is being done to help fight the situation. While some people understand the pain and energy it takes to be in a domestic violence relationship, a lot of people brush it off and say that people are stupid. In a recent survey it was found that one in five people believe that domestic violence could be excused if people got so angry that they lose control. These people are telling us that its okay for our boyfriends or girlfriends to yell, insult or physically hit us, when its not. For those of you who do not know, domestic violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and ill health in women aged 15-44. And thats only woman statistics. Add the male statistics and it becomes even more astounding. Take a stand and pledge with the White Ribbon Organisation today and help fight domestic violence. You might be in a domestic violence relationship, whether its right now or in the future, or you may know someone who is. Dont ignore it.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 08:41:50 +0000