A COMPLETE change in culture is what the Grampians region needs to get rid of family violence, according to Women’s Health Grampians chief executive officer Patty Kinnersly.
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“This is not just an issue for women experiencing violence and the male perpetrators, it’s also about the community changing their everyday interactions towards women,” she said.
“What we understand of violence against women is that it is preventable and the causes originate in everyday interactions, where women are discriminated against, treated in a sexist way.”
Women’s Health Grampians is hosting a “Leading Change” breakfast on Thursday in Ararat for community and business leaders with Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge and Police Commissioner Ken Lay.
Ms Kinnersly said the actions of leaders like Ms Wooldridge and Commissioner Lay were vital in the fight against violence against women, which already has “serious momentum” in the region.
In 2011-12, the Grampians region had the third highest rate of violence against women in the state, behind the Loddon-Mallee and Gippsland regions.
