No More: A stand against domestic violence

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten are set to link arms before federal parliament to stand up against the shocking rates of domestic violence in Australia.

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The symbolic gesture is in support of the, founded by the Northern Territory's Charlie King, who says it will honour a promise he made to a group of elders from the central desert region eight years ago.

"They looked at me and in the old Aboriginal way, they shake their finger and they say 'No More, No More', " Mr King told AAP.

His program is a grassroots effort that started in Top End football teams but has since spread to entire communities, forcing men to take responsibility.
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Aboriginal women are 34 times more likely than non-indigenous women to be hospitalised because of family violence.

Mr King wants Monday's bipartisan endorsement to spark a national conversation before Christmas.

"There's always a spike in family violence rates over the holiday season. But this can unite a nation," he said.
Mr King will march alongside members of the NT cabinet and NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw in Darwin on Friday for White Ribbon Day, which seeks to engage men as catalysts for change.

"Within the Northern Territory context the scope of our challenge continues to grow," Commissioner Kershaw said.

Over the last five years, NT police have seen a 38 per cent rise in domestic violence incidents, and alcohol is a factor in almost two thirds of all cases.

"Almost a quarter of all offenders commit three or more offences per year," Commissioner Kershaw said.
It's important that we remain victim-focused and leave our egos and self interest at the door.
NT Minister for Families Dale Wakefield said curbing the scourge of family violence isn't something government can do alone.

She said it needs the whole community, especially men, to start having difficult conversations and changing attitudes towards women.
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"You can cop a lot, believe me," she said.

"You're often challenging the behaviour of people you love and respect, or people more senior to you in the workplace."

Ms Wakefield said her five-year-old son has been to five White Ribbon marches in his life.

"I want to make sure he doesn't have to go these marches when he grows up," she said.

National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.\

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2 min read
Published 25 November 2016 1:11pm
Source: AAP


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