Locally, a small group of people have been working on raising awareness of the issue since 2016. This year, Hepburn Shire’s White Ribbon Committee has been working with grassroots sporting organisations and a number of ambassadors to raise awareness of domestic violence and what it can look like.

Raising awareness of and ending domestic violence is something that Greg May is passionate about.

“The statistics around domestic violence are frightening. That’s why we formed the committee – to try to do something locally.”

He said he wanted to become involved with the committee after seeing stories in the media.

“I am appalled by these stories of violence and murder. Every man should be,” Mr May said.

He said, however, that it was important to note that domestic violence was not just physical.

“There are all sorts of violent behaviour – there is financial, where women aren’t allowed access to funds, emotional and verbal.”

He said the answer of where to begin to tackle the problem lay with educating young people to inspire change in their attitudes and behaviours.

“The statistics show a lot of perpetrators of violence against women grow up in households where the older male figure was violent, so the children grow up thinking it’s normal,” he said.

“I still hear comments that are unacceptable and it’s always awkward when it’s someone you know quite well or least suspect. It’s a very vexed issue. There isn’t a magic bullet to fix it as it has been going on for years and years.”

He said through education, more people would be brave enough to call out inappropriate behaviour, while also being informed as to how to react or respond to an incident of domestic violence.

The committee is looking for new members and ambassadors to join. Contact Rachel Murphy for more details: rmurphy@hepburn.vic.gov.au