Leading Lights group forms in Geraldton to address family violence

More than 20 Mid West organisations met to create a new working group to explore options the organisations themselves could take to address family violence in Geraldton.

Hosted by the WA Centre for Rural Health and Desert Blue Connect, the Conversations for Change ‘Leading Lights’ communications working group congregated for the first time on July 2.

WA Centre for Rural Health director Professor Sandra Thompson said she was optimistic the group could “accelerate conversations for change in our community”.

“We want people not just say ‘violence is not OK’, we want them to actively pursue other ways of understanding and resolving difference and conflict,” she said.

The group aims to share what is happening within the organisations to increase community awareness and create strategies to prevent family violence in Geraldton.

Desert Blue Connect chief executive Russell Pratt said organisations could play an important role in addressing behaviours that underpin family violence.

“By signing onto the Community Respect and Equality Agreement you are showing your employees that their organisation commits to actions in the workplace,” he said.