The City of Logan will pause this month to remember those impacted by domestic and family violence as cries for help increase.
A candlelight vigil will be held on the forecourt of the Logan Entertainment Centre in Logan Central from 5-6.30pm tomorrow (Wednesday 7 May).
The Centre for Women & Co and Men & Co Services have joined forces with Logan City Council to host this service.
The vigil marks Queensland’s Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month (DFVPM), an opportunity for the community to come together and say no to domestic and family violence.
A spokesperson from the local group The Centre for Women & Co. said there had been an increase in the amount of people seeking help from their services.
“Currently, we are seeing a steady increase in the number of clients accessing our service and in the complexity and high-risk nature of violence that is occurring,” she said.
The Centre runs health and wellbeing groups, provides counseling for women and children, and offers safety and support for those experiencing domestic and family violence.
“Our main aim is to support and empower victim-survivors in our region to be safe and to heal from their experiences,” the spokesperson said.
According to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, one in four Australian women are or will be affected by DFV in their lifetime.
The same report found that one in two women, or 45% of those surveyed, who were experiencing physical and/or sexual violence from a current partner did not seek advice or support.
Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 34 times more likely than non-indigenous women to be hospitalized and 6 times more likely to die as a result of DFV, according to a report released by the Department of Social Services.
The Queensland Chief Health Officer reported that in 2023 to 2024, 19 people were killed in recorded incidents of DFV in the state. Of these deaths, 13 were women and 6 were men.
Many factors can impact a victim-survivor’s decision to disclose their experiences with DFV. A 2022 mixed-model study identified the three common barriers in a survey of 1100 victim-survivors to be: shame, lack of awareness of services, and confidentiality concerns.
Educational groups, resources, and training run by The Centre for Women & Co and Men & Co to aid the community in recognising and responding to domestic and family violence are crucial to support victim-survivors.
Programs for men and dads are also facilitated by the organisation.
The council’s three water towers at Underwood, Shailer Park, and Hillcrest were illuminated purple on 2 and 3 May to mark DFVPM.
The council’s main administration building on Wembley Rd in Logan Central will also be illuminated on Wednesday 7 May.
For more information about the vigil, visit The Centre for Women & Co’s Facebook page – facebook.com/CentreForWomenandCo
