Keen residents around the community wore orange and walked the streets on Tuesday the 26th of November to Say NO to Domestic and Family Violence.
This is the fourth year of the “Walk the Talk” event, organised by the Women’s Shed Hornsby Ku-ring-gai in partnership with KNC Aged Care, NSW Police (Ku-ring-gai PAC), PCYC Hornsby Ku-ring-gai, Rotary District 9685, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Domestic Violence Network, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter, and other stakeholders. For the event, the community walked the neighbouring streets of the PCYC, wearing orange to represent hope and a future free from violence.
In attendance were students from Hornsby Girls High, Knox Grammar, Normanhurst Boys, and Pymble Ladies’ College, all holding banners showcasing their support for the cause.
Hornsby Shire Council and Ku-ring-gai Council participated in the event, with Mayor Christine Kay from Ku-ring-gai and Mayor Warren Waddell from Hornsby delivering speeches.
Member for Davidson Matt Cross, Member for Wahroonga Alister Henskens, Member for Hornsby James Wallace, and Member for Castle Hill Mark Hodges made an appearance and walked the block.
The community came together to take up the pledge “We do not tolerate inequality and domestic and family violence”.
Each year, Walk the Talk falls during the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
‘Events such as this play a vital important role to send a message that violence against women is not to be tolerated,’ says Mayor Christine Kay. ‘At Ku-ring-gai we know there is more work to do to eliminate violence against women, and we are keen to be part of the solution.’
Keynote speaker for the event was Dr Hannah Tonkin, NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner. Acting Superintendent Michelle Mathieson from the Ku-ring-gai Police Area Command spoke about the Empower app available to download for those in domestic violence crisis.
