16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

The United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign dedicated to ending violence against women and girls. It takes place each year between 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) and 10 December (International Human Rights Day).

Violence against women is any act of gender-based violence that causes or could cause physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of harm or coercion, in public or in private life.

This year, City of Whittlesea is supporting Respect Victoria’s ‘Respect Starts With A Conversation’ campaign because we all deserve to feel safe and respected, but assumptions about gender roles hold us all back.

Starting the conversation at home is your chance to challenge these assumptions. It’s a way to create partnerships based on mutual respect, and model healthy, respectful relationships for children and younger family members.

Take a look at Respect Victoria’s video series around how to start the conversation in your home

Also available in the following languages:

How to get involved

For everyone: Read a book and start a conversation

Reading about and start a conversation about respect with your friends and family.

Starting a conversation at home is a chance to talk about the roles women and men play in society, what is working and what is not working for us, and to think about how we can build respect, and model healthy, relationships for children and younger family members.

It can look like:

talking to your partner about how you share the housework in a way that works for everyone
dividing parenting responsibilities in a way that allows everyone to work, study or volunteer fairly
teaching children it’s okay to express their emotions, regardless of their gender.

Some book ideas to get started can be found at Respect Victoria’s 16 days of activism booklist

For women: Respect, empower and celebrate women wellbeing day

The City of Whittlesea has proudly partnered with Women’s Health in the North and DPV Health to promote the Respect Victoria state-wide campaign Respect Women: Call It Out (Respect Is) campaign.

We welcome all women from the City of Whittlesea and Hume City Council to attend a women’s wellbeing day.

Come and meet other women in Whittlesea and Hume for food, yoga, art, financial workshops and more.

This is a women’s only event, children and carers are welcome.

Bi-cultural educators will be available.

Event details:
Date: Monday 27 November
Time: 10am – 2pm
Location: PRACC, 35 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang

Registration: Click here to register

For men: Start a conversation about respect with your mates

For men: Being a ‘good man’ is just about being a good person. But men and boys can face pressures to be a certain ‘type of man’ – tough, aggressive and not showing emotions. Like having harmful attitudes about women, including feeling entitled to be in control of a relationship. They’re told to suppress the parts of themselves that don’t fit this assumption of who or what a ‘man’ should be.

Starting the conversation with your friends is a way to help free people from these harmful ideas. It’s about making sure you’re there for your friends, but also knowing when to call out dangerous, disrespectful attitudes and actions from your mates.

It can look like:

talking about what’s really going on in your life, including the things that worry or sadden you – challenging the expectation that talking about feelings is a weakness
choosing to call out a sexist or homophobic joke – these jokes aren’t harmless. They can support attitudes that lead to violence
chatting to your mate about their relationship, if you notice they’re controlling to their partner, talk down to them, these are red flags and you can call them out.

Find more information about having conversations with your family, friends or in your sporting club at Respect Starts With A Conversation | Respect Victoria

Walk against Family Violence

Help create a future where we are all safe, equal and respected by joining the Walk Against Family Violence in Melbourne’s CBD.

In Victoria, this event marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence – a global campaign for the prevention and elimination of gender-based violence.

Event details:

Date: Friday 24 November
Time: 11am
Location: Parliament House Steps, Spring Street, Melbourne

Find out more at the Respect Victoria’s website.

Click here to Join the Facebook event

Listen to "The Conversation" podcast

The Whittlesea Youth Advisory Committee have created a podcast to encourage community conversation and action on preventing violence against women and family violence.

Listen to The Conversation podcast at: https://youtu.be/1hUCk1Gn2bw

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, help is available.

In case of immediate danger call Triple Zero (000) and ask for Police.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) 1800respect.org.au.

The 24/7 national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service or try one of the services listed here for more information, help and advice.

Past Events

+ Youth Art Showcase

Young people aged 13 to 25 years were invited to submit any piece of art interpreting the themes of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence and what this means to you. This could be a drawing or painting, a song, a short film, music or video.

An online launch of the art showcase was held on 8 December, with a panel of young people discussing the art and themes and celebrating local talent.

Four young local artists submitted their work as part of this showcase. You can view their artwork below.

Maram’s artwork depicts societal views and responses victim survivors receive when disclosing incidents of family violence.
Em’s sculpture portrays the struggle of hiding one’s gender identity and sexuality from their family and community whilst highlighting the beauty that exists within the LGBTIQA+ community.
Victoria’s poem highlights the violence perpetrated against Asian women and the repercussions this has on young, Asian women.
Emilee’s digital artwork illustrates the different forms of abuse women experience, from physical, emotional to psychological. The woman appears exhausted, with new and healing bruises to signify the likelihood of abuse occurring more than once.