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Canberra Today 22°/24° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

‘This is not a Wife Beater’ at the Legislative Assembly

this is not a wife beater

THE local domestic violence campaign “This is Not a ‘Wife Beater’” plans to feature images of prominent men and women in the Canberra community to challenge the language and culture of domestic violence

“This is Not a ‘Wife Beater’” is a grass-roots, not-for-profit campaign that challenges harmful language, attitudes, stereotypes and myths associated with intimate partner and family violence.

The campaign renames the singlets colloquially referred to as ‘wife beaters’ as ‘respecters’, and uses them as a symbol to promote respectful relationships and safe communities for everyone.

Campaign ambassadors are participating in a photo exhibition at the Legislative Assembly on 11 August, which will mark the launch of the campaign for 2015.

Ambassadors include:

  • Vicki Parker, Coordinator General for Domestic and Family Violence in the ACT
  • Mirjana Wilson, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Crisis Service
  • Terry Campese, rugby player and Director of the Terry Campese Foundation
  • Kylie Travers, 2015 ACT Young Australian of the Year Finalist
  • Frances Crimmins, Executive Director of YWCA Canberra
  • Martin Fisk, CEO of Menslink
  • Tim Gavel, ABC Grandstand Commentator
  • John Hinchey, ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner
  • Nip Wijewickrema, 2015 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year
  • Virginia Haussegger, journalist and ABC TV news presenter

“The aim of the launch is to bring the community together in support of the common goal of ending domestic violence, in particular through a focus on changing entrenched ways of speaking about domestic violence that can minimise and condone it, and promoting respectful relationships”, says campaign organiser Alisa Draskovic.

“On average, one woman is killed every week in Australia by a current or former partner. Although there is growing awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence-related deaths, there continues to be an overwhelming need to address the broader culture within which these murders are committed.

“The campaign seeks to engage with and challenge this broader culture and draw attention to the ways in which we, as individuals and as a community, minimise and condone domestic violence, by focusing on the term ‘wife beater’, a reference to violence against women, to describe an item of clothing.”

The exhibition will be open to the public from the night of the launch (6.30pm on 11 August) to 14 August.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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