Social worker Ursula Adams to run 100 miles to start domestic violence conversations
Costing the economy $22 billion annually, domestic violence can be a two-way street - with both men and woman being offenders. A Tweed Heads social worker has heard the chilling stories, and gone on the front foot.
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A Tweed Heads social worker has set herself the challenge to run 100 miles (160km) and have 100 conversations with people who have suffered domestic violence to end gender-based violence.
Ursula Adams will run for 20-plus hours on December 16 at the Ultra Trail Mt Kosciuszko event - her first 100-miler.
According to the White Ribbon Foundation, violence against women is estimated to cost the Australian economy $22 billion annually.
Adams was inspired to do the run after hearing stories of domestic violence through her employment as a social worker.
“Some of these women endure these things for 10 to 20 years - it can shatter your sense of self-worth and wellbeing, so you don’t feel capable of getting out,” she said.
Ms Adams believes starting the conversation about respectful behaviours from a young age is key.
“I’m getting more referrals for children at a young age - it’s terrible,” she said.
“I think having more conversations around respectful behaviours and not being a bystander (is important).”
Ms Adams said she was surprised by the number of stories she heard about women perpetrating psychological abuse toward men, including accounts of self-harm.
“I know men’s violence towards women is the trajectory,” she said.
“(But) I have spoken to a man who has had to get a DV order against his previous partner as there was emotional and psychological abuse to control him by using threats to make him out to be the perpetrator and that he would be deported as he is on a work visa.
“Elements of coercive control are one area of policy that needs to shift.”
Ms Adams said she will donate money from her fundraiser to the White Ribbon Foundation as it focuses on policy shifts and law reforms in the domestic violence space.
“I think for anyone in a current domestic violence relationship, it is imperative to reach out to local supports first,” she said.
“We need to start helping from the bottom up - if we work as a community, we will see better outcomes”
To support Ms Adams fundraising go to:
If you’ve been impacted by domestic violence and feel comfortable talking about it, go to:
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