V-Day makes a splash

The man charged with the murder of Lindy Lucena in Ballina on 4 January this year murder breached a domestic violence order. It was a devastating local reminder of how much work needs to be done to create safety for women who experience DV.

Yesterday, around 115 women came to join the Byron Bay V-Day as part of the mass global action, One Billion Rising, which aims to end violence against women and children. V-Day was held under blustery, heavy clouds on Tuesday morning on Main Beach in Byron Bay. 

‘The truth is shocking – according to the United Nations, one in every three women will be physically or sexually abused in her lifetime – that’s more than one billion women across the world,’ said Co-organiser, Zenith Virago.

‘Every February, women and others rise in countries across the world to show our local communities and the world what one billion people looks like.

‘We rise through dance to express joy and community, and celebrate the fact we have not been defeated by this increasing violence.

‘We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable. 

‘Since 1998, the V-Day movement has raised over US$100 million.

‘V-Day activists donate 100 per cent of their proceeds to groups in their community who are doing anti-violence work at rape crisis centres and domestic violence shelters; groups working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women; with refugee women and with women affected by climate catastrophe’. 

Vagina Conversations

The V-Day event also coincides with the Vagina Conversations fundraiser, held at the Byron Theatre (February 15), and Murwillumbah’s Regent Theatre (February 16). The event supports Byron and Tweed Shire women escaping intimate partner and family violence. For more information, visit: www.onebillionrising.org and www.vday.org.