Bayside community to come together for first domestic violence vigil

The community on Brisbane’s bayside will come together next week to say “Not Now, Not Ever” to domestic violence.

Joan Pease, Helen Betts (Safe by the Bay), Roz Kinder (Zonta), Jenny Peach (Scope). Picture: Supplied

THE community on Brisbane’s bayside will come together next week to say “Not Now, Not Ever” to domestic violence.

Wynnum’s first domestic violence vigil will be held at Pandanus Beach on May 10 as part of Domestic Violence Prevention Month.

The vigil has been organised by State Member for Lytton Joan Pease together with the Bayside Domestic and Family Violence Community Collective and the Scope Club of Wynnum.

Ms Pease said she decided to work with BDFVCC to establish the vigil after hearing too many baysiders had experienced domestic or family violence.

“Domestic and family violence negatively impacts on the lives of too many people in our community and it is too important an issue to ignore,” she said.

“Events like the upcoming vigil are vital in making sure this issue is front and centre in the public’s mind and it is something everyone must take a stand against.

“I want the whole community to come together and say loud and clear that when it comes to domestic and family violence, we say ‘Not Now, Not Ever’.”

Roz Kinder from the Zonta Club of Wynnum said the BDFVCC was established to raise awareness of the issue in the bayside community and to advocate for improved services locally.

“Too many women, children and men lose their lives each year as a result of family and domestic violence and I encourage everyone to be part of the vigil to help get the message out that violence has no role in our community,” she said.

“Vigils like this one will be held throughout Australia during May and I know the people of the bayside will come together to respectively acknowledge the lives lost.”

The vigil will start at 6pm.