But we must, or else risk one of the greatest tragedies our little Gunnedah community has seen.

Gunnedah is not alone in the problem – it’s a societal issue that’s spread far and wide across our big country. 

That doesn’t make the crimes happening here everyday behind closed doors, any less significant or painful for victims and the authorities called to mediate peace. But it does offer a context as to how endemic this crime has become.

There are no winners in this war, only fractured communities with their hearts broken and souls beaten.

The revolving nature of abuse – be it verbal, physical, emotional, a combination of all three or something else – means we’re left picking up the pieces in a seemingly never-ending tide of abuse.

This problem takes ownership.

It calls on the perpetrators to identify a need for change in their behaviour. A challenge of their actions and understanding why they do such terrible things.

It calls for family and friends to not turn a blind eye, to stand up for what’s right and defend the vulnerable in our community. Report the abuse and help stop the hidden scourge among our families.

It calls for the community to back local initiatives which create awareness. Campaigns like last year’s “In Their Shoes” in which 270 pairs of predominately women and children’s shoes were tied to a fence in the centre of Gunnedah alongside a banner bearing the hashtag “Gunnedah says no to violence”. The number represented the number of cases of domestic violence estimated to have occurred during just one year in Gunnedah recently.

Talk about it, discuss, look out for each other, lend a compassionate ear to someone in need. Don’t hide behind the curtains, step into the light and show your support for those suffering.

White Ribbon Australia’s webpage offers tips, strategies and advice for meeting the challenges of domestic violence in our communities.

I suggest we all google it now, take five minutes out of our day and learn a little about this problem which affects so many. Together, we can make a difference.