The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation is working with Griffith University to partner on the MATE Bystander Program to continue to promote the prevention of Domestic and Family Violence.
The program will be impactful, weaving Allison’s story throughout and encouraging the recipients to create a discussion while also providing tactics on how to be an effective bystander and be will targeting the business and corporate environment due to Allison’s connection to this sector and allow the important message to spread to all corners of our community
The bystander holds the key to preventing violence and harmful behaviour. We just need to equip all people with the knowledge and the tools to effectively intervene in safe and appropriate ways.
From the age of 15, one in 6 women and one in 16 men have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former partner. (Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence in Australia Report, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2018).
In Australia, we have one woman a week on average, dying at the hands of her current or former partner. This is a statistic that we all have the capacity to influence, prevent and change.
Allison’s parents, Geoff and Priscilla Dickie, express their regrets on not speaking up about domestic and family violence while it was occurring to their daughter.
“Growing up we are often taught not to interfere in other people’s affairs, especially marriages, and for us this made it difficult to speak up. In Allison’s case, there was a difference in attitudes and increasing number of incidents happening over a long period of time.” said Allison’s Mother Priscilla.
“Through our partnership with Griffith University’s MATE Bystander Program, we hope that we can teach the community how to identify these small things and how to approach and prevent domestic violence.
Griffith University’s MATE Bystander Program focuses on raising awareness of harmful behaviour within our culture and the preventative measures we can take as a society.
“The MATE Bystander program has seen a synergy with the Allison Baden-Clay Foundation and the potential to create something truly impactful. We are inspired by the passion Geoff, Priscilla and Vanessa have to ensure Allison’s story is used to educate and empower communities to prevent violence” said Director of the program, Shaan Ross-Smith.
“We are excited to work on this partnership and continue to challenge and change attitudes about domestic and family violence through an amplified platform. We also look forward to the possibility of reaching a market that is often not associated with this topic, but one that can be just as easily affected by it.”
May is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month, and with the Queensland Government launching their ‘Do Something’ campaign the message and importance of discussion and action against this topic is off to a good start.
The upcoming Strive to be Kind campaign will include Griffith University’s MATE Bystander Program, with Strive to be Kind Day once again being held on Friday July 27, 2018.
SheSociety is a site for the women of Australia to share our stories, our experiences, shared learnings and opportunities to connect.
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