By Casey Neill
Women used dramatic make-up and slogan-emblazoned T-shirts to challenge family violence at Chisholm Institute in Dandenong.
Their message was that not all violence is visible and was part of a Domestic Violence Awareness Day on Tuesday 25 October.
The event also included a clothes line filled with T-shirts to represent the women who’ve been murdered at the hands of their partners this year.
Students organised and held a barbecue to raise funds for Share the Dignity, which provides sanitary items to women in need, and a trivia quiz to highlight family violence statistics.
The event was an extension of the TAFE’s family violence studies, an elective in the Diploma of Community Services that aims to provide students with the shills to raise community awareness of family violence.
Subjects range from recognising and responding to family violence, to trauma-informed care and child protection.
Next year Chisholm will also be offering a Graduate Certificate in Family Violence, with a particular emphasis on violence against women.
Chisholm teacher Dr Ilsa Evans said: “Family violence is a hugely impactful issue within Australian society and anything we can do to raise awareness of myths and stereotypes, as well as available resources, is a step in the right direction.”
“The objective of the event was to combat myths and stereotypes around family violence while also creating an enhanced understanding of the extent of this issue,” she said.
“There remains a culture of secrecy around family violence that often excuses and condones family violence, as well as creating a breeding ground for the actual abuse.
“Chisholm believes that raising community awareness not only prepares students for working in the sector but helps to address the issue of family violence itself.”
