This year marks ten years since 16 Days in WA started, a significant milestone in Western Australia’s commitment to preventing family and domestic violence and building safer, more respectful communities.
Over the past decade, I have been encouraged by the growing commitment shown across our communities, workplaces, schools, sporting clubs and local governments to help drive change. Together, we have helped build greater awareness, strengthened support for victim-survivors and reinforced that family and domestic violence is never acceptable. While progress has been made, we know there is more to do.
Every person deserves to feel safe, respected and valued in their home, workplace and community. Yet family and domestic violence continues to have a profound impact on individuals, families and communities across Western Australia.
Running each year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, 16 Days in WA encourages all Western Australians to consider the role they can play in preventing violence and creating a safer future.
This year’s theme, Stopping Family and Domestic Violence: Violence doesn’t always leave a mark. Play your part - recognise the trace of control. Act before it escalates, highlights the importance of recognising coercive control and taking action before abuse escalates.
Coercive control involves patterns of behaviour used to dominate, isolate, monitor, manipulate or intimidate another person. While it may not always leave physical injuries, its impacts can be profound and long-lasting. Understanding the signs of coercive control and other forms of abuse is an important step in recognising harmful behaviour, supporting those affected and intervening before harm escalates.
The Cook Labor Government remains committed to preventing and responding to family and domestic violence through sustained reform, investment and strong partnerships with the community services sector.
This term, we will introduce coercive control legislation. Criminalising coercive control is an important step in recognising the serious harm caused by this form of abuse, improving accountability for perpetrators and increasing protections for victim-survivors.
However, legislation alone will not end family and domestic violence. Lasting change requires us to prevent violence before it occurs, as well as respond effectively when it does.
Men and boys have a particularly important role to play in challenging harmful attitudes, modelling respectful behaviours and championing equality. Their leadership is critical to creating a culture where violence is never tolerated.
Throughout the campaign, communities across Western Australia will come together through events, conversations and local initiatives to raise awareness, support victim-survivors and encourage positive action.
As we mark ten years of 16 Days in WA, I encourage every Western Australian to play their part. Learn to recognise the signs of abuse. Speak up against disrespectful attitudes and behaviours. Support someone who may need help. Start a conversation in your workplace, school, sporting club or community. Most importantly, do not ignore the trace of control when you see it. Act before it escalates.
Together, we can build a Western Australia where violence is never accepted, victim-survivors are supported, and respect, safety and dignity are at the heart of every community.
Hon Jessica Stojkovski MLA
Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
