Red Rose Rally to help stop domestic & family violence

Three Queensland women and a baby were killed by intimate partners in the last three months. They were remembered at Maleny’s Red Rose Rally.

by Val France

Since January this year, there have been 35 confirmed deaths of women, and 10 children, from domestic violence in Australia. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Queensland police attend 500 serious incidents of domestic violence every day! This has resulted in 2800 charges of non-lethal strangulation, among other serious injuries. Of course, many incidences of domestic and family violence are not reported to police, so it is obvious that this is a huge societal problem.

Red Rose Rallies are an initiative of the Red Rose Foundation, an organisation dedicated to monitoring domestic violence deaths and providing awareness and support for those affected by this increasing scourge of our community.

To raise awareness of the issue and educate the community about what can be done to prevent domestic violence, and support victims, Speak Up Now - Stop Domestic and Family Violence (Maleny and Blackall Range) was formed as a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Maleny, Zonta Blackall Range, Quota Club of Maleny, and the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre in 2020. Since then, other organisations have also partnered with the group which last Friday, joined with 8 other communities in Queensland in holding a Red Rose Rally in Maleny.

Red Rose Rallies are an initiative of the Red Rose Foundation, an organisation dedicated to monitoring domestic violence deaths and providing awareness and support for those affected by this increasing scourge of our community. A Rally is held after the death of every Queensland woman killed due to domestic violence, with the community being invited to gather in a prominent public place, often with family and friends of the deceased victim, and pay their respects.

At Maleny’s Red Rose Rally, we honoured the 3 Queensland women and a baby killed by intimate partners in the last 3 months, along with the deaths of two innocent people caught up in one of those incidents. Each one was named, and remembered with a minute’s silence, before each of the participants placed a red rose as a memorial. The vigil was held at Tesch Park, and many of the passing motorists and pedestrians signalled their support.

Readers wishing to know what they can do to help prevent domestic and family violence, can follow Speak Up Now on Facebook. The internet is a source of much practical advice, including ’1800 RESPECT’ and ‘10 Ways You Can Help Prevent Domestic Violence Locally’.