By Hannah Mcnamara
Business owners, regional leaders, and Rotary members gathered at Ocean International last Tuesday, united in their mission to break the silence on domestic violence. Dressed in purple, attendees stood in solidarity, symbolising hope for a future free from violence. While we know change takes time, the focus remains on educating future generations and fostering respect among men, women, and children to create a safer society.
The room fell silent as DVF Project Manager Michael Buckeridge shared a sobering statistic of 134 domestic violence cases recorded in a single day.
"There are thousands of men and women suffering from this," he said.
"Thankfully, we have fantastic organisations picking up the broken pieces… but we need your help.
"We want businesses and community members to wear these purple shirts and start conversations – in their workplaces, in their schools, and amongst their friends.
"We need to reach young people – the young men in schools – to teach them respect.
“To me, respect is worth more than gold."
The Rotary Domestic & Family Violence Prevention Program continues to expand, with all 12 Mackay high schools now officially on board. Betterment Project presenters will visit from May 12–16, delivering powerful messages to students.
Momentum is building for the "Respect In Every Step: March To End Domestic Violence" on May 30, with Kinetic Buses generously covering half the transport costs. So far, 580 students have committed to the march, and the crowd is expected to surpass 1,000 participants.
The upcoming Bravus Breakfast at Ocean International on May 29 has already exceeded expectations, with 206 students and teachers confirmed to attend.
Sponsorship packages are available, giving businesses an opportunity to support the cause while receiving 40 shirts and a branded pull-up banner.
Visit www.rotarymackay.org.au/index.php/dv/ to learn more.
“We hope that May will be a month of awareness, action, and conversations that matter.”
Community leaders gathered at Ocean International to stand against domestic violence, urging education, respect, and action through the Rotary Domestic & Family Violence Prevention Program. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara
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