A national plan, focussed on putting an end to violence against women and children, will be unveiled this month at a meeting of Federal, State and Territory Ministers. 

Minister for Families and Social Services, Amanda Rishworth said in the media earlier this week, “One woman dies in Australia every nine days at the hands of their current or former partner. The national plan will set out a strategy for the next decade with the aim of reducing that number”.

While families are under a lot of pressure with the rising cost of living and Covid, the family often bears the brunt of the worst part of human nature. Statistics show that a breakdown of a couple’s relationship tends to affect women and children the most, both financially and in regard to violence. 

Domestic violence in Australia has increased since the start of the pandemic and governments around the country have rightly made it a major priority. And, although it is against the law, forced marriage still happens in Australia. It continues to be Australia’s most identified and reported form of modern slavery, and the unreported number is thought to be much higher. It is not inherent in or exclusively practiced in any one culture.

The meeting of state and federal ministers will also reportedly raise gender matters with an update on the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission and details of the 10-year plan are expected to be released on Monday by the federal government. 

Of course Majellan Media supports any initiative that addresses violence and we hope that the planned response can make a difference.

In James 1 it states:
You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.[c]  Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.  James 1:19-20

Our prayer is that this initiative helps curb this abhorrent behaviour.

A Prayer for Domestic Violence in Australia
Loving Father, we thank you that you bring light to the darkness of this wounded world. We pray that you would bring understanding, knowledge, and acceptance of the truth and expose what lurks in the dark and bring it into the light.

We cry out to you. We pray that these statistics might change. We hope that the women and children who are victims of violence would cease to be so. We pray that violence in all its forms will cease.

Lord God, give us courage to face this epidemic with all that we have. To make changes to education, implement early intervention, and resource front-line responders. We ask that the  governments of Australia  recognise this tragedy for what it is. Most importantly, we ask that your people would be the hands, feet, and voices for change.

Amen.

Cheryl Brodie
Majellan Media

Do you know someone who needs help?

The following Domestic and Family Violence support services are available:

• 1800 RESPECT National Helpline: 1800 737 732
• Women’s Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
• Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491
• Lifeline (24 hour crisis line): 131 114