16 Days of Activism Against
Gender-Based Violence in
Western Australia

Helen Krynen, Member, Family and Domestic Violence Working Group

The 16 Days in Western Australia campaign takes its inspiration from the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and highlights the ongoing scourge of gender-based violence, especially in family and domestic relationships.

It runs from 25 November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until 10 December (Human Rights Day) each year. These 16 Days need our attention. During these 16 Days and every 16 Days, Australia will see another three people die due to family and domestic violence. This violence may take one or more forms- physical, verbal, financial, emotional and spiritual. It doesn’t discriminate by age, relationship or gender, though women and children are sadly overrepresented.

Although you may not have experienced this form of violence yourself, you will know someone whether disclosed, denied or hidden, who has experienced it. This is not a new issue and it will take time to reduce the prevalence of this violence in our community and for this violence to become unacceptable throughout our community, so that it is the perpetrator, rather than their victim who fears the violence being discovered.

We, as a community of the faithful, are called to be a voice for those who are silenced. The Family and Domestic Violence Working Group was established following Synod in 2022. We as a group are responding to the call to shine the light of Christ into the darkness of family and domestic violence.
Please help us to shine that light over the upcoming 16 Days by, attending one of the five services being offered across the Diocese (see flyer), participating in a Standing Together workshop in your parish or organising a Purple Bench for your parish, workplace or school community.

Standing Together is an Anglicare WA initiative offering free one hour presentations on the signs and drivers of family and domestic violence and how as a community we can work together to prevent it. Standing Together provides an opportunity to grow awareness and understanding of family and domestic violence, to support conversations around the ways we all as a community can participate in its prevention.

Let’s stand together to shine the light of Christ so that we can promote and encourage healthy relationships and a community where everyone feels safe and respected.

Published in Messenger November 2025