Ballina unites to walk against violence

A WALK to raise awareness about domestic and family violence will bring hundreds of Ballina residents together on November 29, as part of a Rotary-led effort to create safer communities

The event was started in 2019 by David Harmon, a member of the Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond, after his friend’s sister was murdered in front of her three children.

“I was sitting at her memorial service in Kyogle as the incoming president of the club thinking ‘What can I do in Ballina to make it a safer place for women and children?’,” Harmon said.

He thought it would be a one-off event, but instead it has expanded to become the principal cause of Rotary clubs throughout Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Harmon and his wife Robyn, who co-ordinates the Love Bites Respectful Relationships program in local schools, believe the annual walk raises awareness and gets people talking more openly about domestic and family violence in the community.

“Statistics show that a woman is in more danger in her home than she is in danger from strangers in the street,” he said.

Inspector Susan Thompson, who is the acting superintendent for the Richmond region, said there had been 60 domestic violence calls throughout the area in the past week alone.

“It has no cultural, racial, religious or socio-economic boundaries,” she said.

Members of local sporting groups, service organisations and school groups are among those taking part in the walk.

Participants are invited to assemble at the Ballina Visitor Information Centre, next to Ballina Swimming Pool, at 1pm on the day before walking along River and Cherry Streets to Ballina Indoor Sports Centre.

Jacque Lachmund from the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council will be among the speakers at the event, and there will be live music and dance performances by students from Ballina Coast High School.