LISTENING to the harrowing account of someone who has first-hand experience of domestic violence, either as a victim or reluctant witness, it is easy to forget you are not getting a glimpse at the plot of an upcoming psychological thriller.
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The sudden realisation that the horrific tale being shared with you has already played out in a painful and usually-private scene, much closer to home than the pages of a Hollywood script, is enough to make the hair of even the most unflappable among us stand on end.
Domestic violence materialises in many forms and is something that impacts each and every member of the community in one way or another.
It is a head-in-the-sand assessment of the fact, however, that is one of the biggest contributing factors to the Katherine region having some of the most unenviable domestic violence statistics in the country.
While it is true that domestic violence has the potential to tear at the core of any one of us, the overwhelming evidence points to the odds being stacked most against indigenous women and children.
There is some incredible work being done by those developing domestic violence strategies in the region, but they will never be able to achieve an optimal long-term outcome without the complete support and engagement of the community.
It does not matter how you earn a living, what colour your skin is – you have a responsibility to take a stand against domestic violence.
That your skin may be a different hue to those most at risk of becoming a victim in your community does not diminish your culpability in the slightest.
As a united community, we need to understand this.
As a united community, we have an obligation to protect those around us who cannot protect themselves, especially when the majority will more likely than not be out of sight and out of mind when they become an unnecessary addition to the Northern Territory’s domestic violence shame.
Not all of us may see it, but the reality of domestic violence is something none of us have the ability to escape.
No one is more acutely aware of that than the vulnerable people who have to live with domestic violence as an accepted part of everyday life because their community has failed them.