Remembering those lost to family and domestic violence

THOSE who lost their lives to family and domestic violence are being remembered during May’s Domestic Violence Prevention Month with services and rallies held across the state. On 7 May, National Family Violence Remembrance Day, the annual 2025 Safe Steps Candlelight Vigil was held. The vigil acknowledges victim-survivors of family and domestic violence and provides a platform for survivors to share their stories and remember those lost. State Liberal Leader, Brad Battin MP, and Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Cindy McLeish MP, attended the vigil with fellow colleagues, David Southwick MP and Renee Heath MP, alongside survivors to pay their respects, reflect, and reaffirm the Coalition’s shared commitment to a safer future for all Victorians. Crime Statistics Victoria reported 98,816 family violence incidents were made to police in 2023-24, increasing from 93,111 cases in 2022-23. Troublingly, 62.4 per cent of youth victims is the child of a perpetrator, with the average age of the youth victim being 12 years old. It was also reported that 16,571 victims of domestic violence were women aged between 25-39, and 15,717 women aged between 40-64. “Women are being killed in horrific circumstances, said Shadow Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Cindy McLeish. "As a community, we need to strive to do better. "Despite investment from the state government, things aren’t turning around. “Families fleeing domestic violence too often have nowhere safe to go due to the lack of emergency accommodation available. “Young people are trying to escape a rough homelife with limited resources to turn to because many services are exhausted. “We honour the memory of those we lost as a result of domestic or family violence."

Remembering those lost to family and domestic violence

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