Domestic Violence: A Serious Problem Facing Australians

For many years domestic violence seemed to be swept under the rug as an unpleasant topic of discussion that one should not bring up during civilised conversations. However, when talking to police officers and lawyers alike, one discovers it is far from uncommon.

I once spoke to an officer who said that it was a blessing if they could get through a single night without having a domestic violence call come through. He said both men and women played the role of the abused and abuser and it was all too common for children to be involved.

Why then, was this such an unspoken about issue for so many years? Why aren’t there more resources to educate our society on how to prevent and protect people from this kind of abuse?

In recent years, the awareness in the media for domestic violence has increased exponentially and it has been rightfully recognised as an extreme problem in Australia. While it most definitely is not a singularly female problem, women often tend to be the victims of this kind of abuse and the statistics are plainly horrifying.

Statistically, 1 woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner. 1 in 3 Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. 1 in 5 Australian women has experienced sexual violence. 71% of cases involving child homicide or death have involved household or domestic violence.

In order to prevent and erase domestic violence, we must first, as a community, make a conscious effort to understand it. Education is key. Prevention efforts should ultimately reduce the occurrence of DV by promoting healthy, respectful, nonviolent relationships. Healthy relationships can be promoted by addressing change at all levels of the social ecology that influence DV: individual, relationship, community, and society.

We all have a social responsibility to stop and help change these problematic behaviours by choosing to educate our youth and call out inappropriate behaviour. Bad things happen when good people choose to do nothing. We must rise as a community and as a region in order to help prevent this domestic violence epidemic.

Christmas Love with Loads of Love Appeal

The Australian charity, Loads of Love, is committed to making sure everyone, no matter their financial standing, are given a Christmas. This dream relies on the generosity of the public and some help from community-minded citizens.

The premise is simple. Loads of Love asks people to take a shopping bag and fill it with non-perishables and Christmas treats for those who are in need of a helping hand around Christmas. Since beginning 9 years ago, Loads of Love has become a trusted organization for Queenslanders everywhere to show their generosity and spread some Christmas love. It is easy and accessible, being stationed in convenient locations such as Grand Central right here in Toowoomba.

2020 was a year like no other. Many struggled financially and there was a 24% increase in the number of Queenslanders seeking food from charities. It is at times like these that community strength and togetherness are most important. Families, children, and many more people gathered together to ‘fill a bag and change a life’ over the Christmas period.

As such, 2021 was a year of great success for the organization. They supported over 10,000 Australians and 4,000 households, collecting 96,000kgs of non-perishable goods as well as thousands of dollars in grocery gift cards.

Mel Taylor feels strongly about community togetherness and as such spent some time as a volunteer at the Loads of Love stall in Grand Central over the Christmas period. Mel believes this beautiful, Aussie owned charity is a shining example of Australian generosity and spirit. Everyone, even in the hardest of years, deserves to enjoy their Christmas. Mel was volunteering at the stall when the Loads of Love hit 20,000kg! They went on to receive an incredible 28,000kg haul of goods over the Christmas period. A spectacular achievement and we are so grateful to the organization and those who donated.

 Please be sure to visit the Loads of Love website in order to learn more about this amazing organization.

Melissa Taylor and Trevor Watts showing their support at the Loads of Love stall in Grand Central over the christmas break.