A candlelight vigil has been held in Melbourne to honour domestic and family violence victims, with hundreds gathering amid growing outcry over the number of women killed in gender-related crimes this year.

East Melbourne

A candlelight vigil was recently held in Melbourne as a show of solidarity and remembrance for the victims of domestic and family violence. The event was part of the observance of National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day, aimed at honoring those who have tragically lost their lives due to gender-related crimes. With hundreds in attendance, the vigil shines a light on the concerning number of women who have been killed in such incidents over the past year.

The vigil, organized by Safe Steps in East Melbourne, provided a platform for the community to come together in reflection and support. Suzanne Painter of Safe Steps highlighted the significance of the gathering, emphasizing the importance of remembering and honoring the lives lost to domestic violence. The event also featured speeches from victim survivor advocates, sharing their personal stories and commemorating the lives of those they have lost.

This day of remembrance and the vigil's occurrence come at a crucial time when public outcry and discussion around the issue of gender-related violence are intensifying. The growing number of victims underscores a grave concern, with Safe Steps expressing a wish for a world where their services are no longer necessary. The support shown by the community and various government representatives at the vigil offers a glimmer of hope amidst this grim reality.

In addition to the Melbourne event, candlelight vigils took place across the country, with several buildings and landmarks illuminated in purple. This nationwide gesture of remembrance serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost to domestic violence, aiming to foster a collective aspiration towards ending gender-based violence.



Candlelight vigil honours victims of gendered violence

Today is National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day, an all-too-timely reminder that far too many women have lost their lives in Australia this year. A candlelit vigil is being held here in East Melbourne and around the country tonight to honour those who have lost their lives to domestic violence. I'm joined now by Suzanne Painter, who is from Safe Steps, who's running this vigil. Suzanne, thanks for joining us. Can you tell us a little bit about why we're here tonight? It is National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day and so tonight we are holding a candlelight vigil and Safe Steps is holding the space for people to come together to remember and to honour those who have tragically lost their lives as a result of family and domestic violence. And we're hearing from some pretty special people tonight, aren't we? Absolutely. We have incredible victim survivor advocates who are bravely sharing their story and they are sharing the story and the lives of those that they have lost. This day has come at a time when so many women have lost their lives and the conversation is really ramping up, isn't it? It absolutely is and the numbers continue to grow. From our perspective, one life is one life too many lost to family and domestic violence. We wish our organisation didn't exist. We wish we didn't have to do what we do each and every day but to see the community support, to see the representation from federal, state and local ministers here tonight, it does give us hope. Suzanne, thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Well, vigils like this one in Melbourne are being held all around the country and buildings and landmarks around the country are being lit up in purple to remember those who have lost their lives to domestic violence.

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