Helping boost DV awareness

Visitors to Alexander Clark Park in Loganholme can now reflect as well as relax among the park’s upgraded facilities and natural environment.

A purple bench has been installed under the Moreton Bay fig trees to commemorate domestic and family violence victims and raise awareness of the issue.

The first purple bench was installed in 2015 in Nova Scotia, Canada, to mark the 25-year anniversary of the death of mother-of-five Barbara Ballie, killed by her husband.

Since then, colourful benches have appeared across North America and more recently in Australia, in hope of starting important conversations about domestic violence issues.

Division 10 Councillor Miriam Stemp says the new bench, installed in conjunction with Soroptimist International, provides an opportunity for people to sit and reflect in a safe public environment.

‘I hope it also prompts those who may be aware of a domestic violence issue to begin having conversations with those who can help,’ Cr Stemp says.

Soroptimist International is a global volunteer movement which works together to ‘educate, empower and enable’ opportunities for women and girls and transform their lives.

Photo at top: Cr Stemp, centre, at the new purple bench with Soroptimist International members, from left, Cesarina Gigante, Lesley McGrath, Jan Stewart, Tania Gibson and Pam Dodd.