THE Gunnedah community is set to tackle the issue of domestic violence with a brand new initiative from the White Ribbon Foundation.
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The Cheese for Change initiative will see members from across the community come together to share a cheese platter and raise funds and awareness for domestic violence.
Gunnedah Family Support Homebase team leader Jess Blair said Cheese for Change will help get people discussing domestic violence and early intervention.
“According to a recent study, Gunnedah is currently ranked 11th in the state for reported domestic violence cases,” Ms Blair said.
“In Australia, one in three women has experienced domestic violence in their lifetime.
“Hopefully the cheese for change campaign can start to get people talking about how to prevent domestic violence but what services are available to anyone experiencing domestic violence.
“The event itself doesn’t have to be too fancy, it can be just some snacks at work or at a girls night, really anything that gets people talking about domestic violence.”
Ms Blair said domestic violence was an issue affecting everyone in the community.
“We want to bring awareness that domestic violence is an issue in Gunnedah,” she said. “I think people underestimate the rate of domestic violence in Gunnedah.
“It’s everyone's issue, it’s a community issue and we need to come together and share a platter that matters.”
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The Gunnedah Community Action Team (GCAT) member said early intervention into domestic violence is key. “It’s a lot easier to assist someone dealing with domestic violence early than reach them when it’s crisis point,” Ms Blair said.
“So as well as discussing domestic violence over a cheese platter, we also hope people will discuss what services are available to the community when it comes to dealing with domestic violence.”
Anyone looking to get involved in Cheese for Change is encouraged to contact Ms Blair.
- For domestic violence support call 1800RESPECT