The global theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which will run from 25 November to 10 December 2021, is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!”
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that starts on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership.
In Australia, on average, one woman is murdered by a current or former partner each week, and one in two women has experienced sexual harassment.
Gippsland experiences high rates of family violence incidents, including some of the state’s highest rates in Latrobe, East Gippsland and Wellington.
Respect Victoria organises a range of activities each year in partnership with Domestic Violence Victoria and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria.
This year’s campaign has the theme Respect Women: ‘Call it Out’ (Respect Is) and encourages Victorians to call out sexism, sexual harassment and disrespect towards women.
This campaign aims to support the Victorian community in understanding what respect means, what it looks like, and how to put it into practice in their everyday lives. The campaign supports communities to understand what gender equality looks like and how striving for equality can prevent violence against women. When gender equality exists, we all benefit.
Respect Victoria wants to inspire action and to encourage members of the public to embrace the types of behaviours and actions that represent and personify ‘respect’.
By choosing to lead with respect in our relationships, workplaces, homes, schools, universities and communities, we can all prevent family violence and gender-based violence together.
To find out more, go to the Respect Victoria website at https://www.respectvictoria.vic.gov.au/16-days-activism-2021#16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-2021
