Geelong Candlelight Vigil – Public Forum
Last year, 4,865 family violence incidents were recorded in Greater Geelong – 10.8% higher than this time last year.
Over the past 10 years in Australia, an average of one woman a week has been killed in the context of family violence. We are sadly still hearing the devastating news of women who lost their lives to family violence in our communities.
The Geelong Candlelight Vigil is a call to action to speak up, lift the veil of silence that surrounds domestic and family violence, and reach out for support.
Meli and The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre, in partnership with Barwon Area Integrated Family Violence Committee and Geelong Regional Libraries invites our community to be part of this important conversation about family violence in our community and what measures we can take to support and prevent.
Hear from Simone O’Brien, a family violence survivor and activist, in addition to a panel of expert local speakers sharing how your workforce can learn, navigate, prevent and support staff.
All tickets to this event have now been allocated.
Background: Each year, on the first Wednesday in May, Safe Steps holds a candlelight vigil to remember those lost to family violence in the last year. The Candlelight Vigil provides a space for people to come together to grieve for them, share messages of hope, and ensure that we never forget the people behind the statistics.
We invite local Greater Geelong and Surf Coast businesses to remember and honour people who have lost their lives to family violence by lighting up their building purple on Wednesday 1 May, from 6.00pm.
Join other local businesses who will be lighting up in support of the Geelong Candlelight Vigil this year:
- Meli
- The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre
- City of Greater Geelong
- Surf Coast Shire
- Deakin University
- GMHBA Stadium
- Geelong Broadcasters (Digital Billboard)
- Anthony Costa Foundation
- Give Where You Live
- Barwon Health
- Victorian Police
- Geelong Arts Centre
- The Gordon (Digital Billboard)
- St Mary of the Angels Basilica
We invite the Geelong community to join us and other Victorians as we light a candle to reflect or in remembrance of those who have lost their life due to family violence.
The Candlelight Vigil provides a space for people to come together to grieve for them, share messages of hope, and ensure that we never forget the people behind the statistics.
If you are a local business who would like to participate in the Geelong Candlelight Vigil on 1 May 2024 by turning your building purple, please contact us at giveback@meli.org.au