‘It can happen to anyone’: Sombre warning for DV victims

WHY this awareness month is more important than ever to the Warwick community.

MANY KINDS OF ABUSE: This month, prevention advocates are urging Warwick residents to learn more about how to help those in need.

RICH or poor, small town or big city, male or female. — Warwick advocates want residents to know domestic violence doesn’t discriminate.

With Domestic Violence Awareness Month happening once again this May, Warwick Safehaven president Bette Bonney president said spreading the message is more important than ever.

“There’s a real sense that domestic violence does happen on the Southern Downs and we’re all aware that with the pandemic, isolation has proved extra dangerous for people in those situations,” Ms Bonney said.

“It had nothing to do with where you sit on the social strata. It can happen to anyone.

“We’ve been told to keep an eye on your neighbours a lot lately and keeping in touch with people is a good start to prevention.”

Ms Bonney said domestic abusive behaviour wasn’t always obvious to friends, family, or even the victim initially.

“There’s many forms of abuse — there’s verbal, financial and using isolation,” she said.

“Sometimes the controlling aspects can start so small that a victim doesn’t even realise what is happening to her and in the end can feel like it’s her fault.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to look like violence, and sometimes there’s not even any bruises.”

She urged those worried about friends and family to listen to their loved ones, and act appropriately.

“I’m relieved more conversations are happening around domestic violence — they should be,” she said.

“People need to be talking about it and not putting their head in the sand and hoping it will go away but we also need to show we care by listening and referring people to help if they need it.”

While the organisation would usually hold its candlighting ceremony, with events cancelled due to coronavirus, Ms Bonney encouraged those who still wanted to learn more to check out online presentations from the organisation.

“It’s a good thing that a lot of resources are now available online because that will help in the future so when people can’t get to a workshop, they can still get that knowledge and experience,” she said.

For more information, head to the Warwick Safehaven or DVAC Facebook page, or for more urgent help contact 1800 RESPECT.

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