By Angela Norval
With a clear message that it is in our power to end coercive control, communities throughout Queensland have come together to add their voice and take action in support of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month throughout May.
Supported by the Queensland Government and various community organisations, the month-long campaign has raised awareness, provide support, and foster collaboration against domestic and family violence – with a focus on coercive control behaviours.
Earlier this year Queensland passed legislation to acknowledge additional domestic, family, and sexual violence behaviours, recognising coercive control in its criminal justice system.
Once the law commences, the offence will carry a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment and criminalises the conduct of adults who engage in repeated harmful behaviour to maintain control over a person they are in a domestic relationship with.
Coercive control is a pattern of abusive behaviours over time, which can be physical and/or non-physical, that hurt, humiliate, isolate, frighten or threaten another person in order to control or dominate them.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that intimate partner violence contributes to more illness, disability and death in women aged 25 to 44 than any other preventable risk factor in the nation.
Given that the figures behind domestic and family violence continue to sadly continue to grow in so many communities, the Queensland Today News Group appreciates the opportunity throughout its newspapers to continue to raise awareness of domestic and family violence and those who are dedicated in individual communities to providing assistance wherever possible.
It is this monthly specialist publication Road to Respect that caught the attention of Mr Bob Atkinson AO APM and Mrs Vanessa Fowler OAM, co-chairs of the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council, both strong supporters local newspapers and their ability to share what matters most with their communities were keen to share their extensive resources to help raise further awareness of this important issue.
Mr Atkinson and Mrs Fowler said they were both pleased and grateful for the opportunity to be aligned with the Queensland Today News Group in their campaign of community awareness of the issues involved with domestic and family violence.
“It sadly exists in every community across our country and can only be stopped if as communities we are united in preventing it.”
Mr Atkinison added, “there are important issues facing every community, but we believe that the prevention of domestic and family violence is up there with the most important of any”.
“The statistics are both terrible and unacceptable and behind every statistic is someone’s personal story.
“It is however preventable with increased education and awareness, and we look forward to partnering with the Queensland Today News Group in their important program to achieve that.
“If we are to create genuine change in our society, then it is up to all of us.”
