A local charity organisation, Defenders for Hope, is teaming up with Logan schools, kindergartens and businesses to continue the fight against domestic violence.
On 31 May, participating schools and workplaces can dress up as their favourite “defender” to celebrate Defenders Day, in a bid to raise awareness of domestic violence and teach young people violence is “not OK”.
A defender can be a teacher, parent, superhero, or anyone who defends others.
Defenders for Hope programs manager Kathy Smith said it was important to spread the message: “domestic violence is not right”.
“The response from the community is really high, which is fantastic because… not many people want to talk about domestic violence,” Ms Smith said.
Ms Smith said seven kindergartens and two schools signed up in the first three days.
She said this would be the first of many Defenders Days.
Ms Smith acknowledged domestic violence was a difficult subject to broach – especially to children.
“Raw honesty is hard… but children need to know domestic violence is not right,” she said.
Ms Smith said the general public would be surprised by the “alarming” amount of Logan children exposed to family violence.
“Unfortunately, children see it,” she said.
“Domestic violence in the last four years has more than doubled.”
She said a range of factors, including Covid and the rising cost of living, contributed to the increase.
Ms Smith said she woke up one day and knew she needed to “do something different”.
Dressed as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ms Smith and the rest of the Defenders team will be heading to Logan organisations and workplaces to raise money for their project, Doreen’s Place.
Doreen’s place will be a domestic-violence support shelter for Logan residents.
They are hoping to raise $250,000 to build the shelter, and they are on track to do so.
