The Zonta Club of Bendigo Inc., Australia, in District 23, worked with the City Council, Victoria police and other organizations to organize a community response to White Ribbon Day to commence the 16 Days of Activism.

On Friday, 24 November and Saturday, 25 November, club members attended local matches where the Associations had agreed to get players to recited the oath, “I will stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women,” prior to the game.

According to Bendigo Advertiser, “Two of the games will also feature a presentation from Bendigo Police’s family violence advisor Sergeant Margaret Singe – Kangaroo Flat v Eaglehawk at the QEO and United v Sedgwick at Ewing Park.”

Club members attended the “Bendigo Walks Against Violence” event on Monday, 27 November, and sold white ribbons beforehand.

Before the walk, a crowd of about 500 people listened to Taran Chawla’s account of his sister Nikita’s murder by her husband and the impact of domestic violence on their family. Click here to read Chawla’s editorial in the Bendigo Advertiser.

Following the speaker, the crowd assembled behind their banners for a group photo, then walked through town to the civic gardens for a lunchtime BBQ.  A notable feature in the Bendigo gardens was a bed featuring white petunias planted in the classic “white ribbon” pattern.