It’s a sickening statistic: Three cases of domestic violence reported across the region every day. Nationally, one in four children are exposed to domestic violence. Is it any wonder then that we hear of cases like the one on today’s front page?
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A few months ago, the sons of a murdered Riverina woman choked back tears as her killer was sentenced to prison.
Luke Robert Birch will spend a minimum of 13 years in jail for the killing of Carol Penrith. Birch had assaulted Ms Penrith during their three-year relationship before bashing her to death, but Birch had never been convicted of violence against her because she had never pressed charges.
It’s one of many tragic stories we will continue to hear unless a seismic shift in community attitudes takes place.
We tell our children not to fight, but our favourite movies and TV shows are full of fighting. In society, we have to play nice unless it’s in an arena or on a field where grown men cry “bring back the biff!”
It’s a strange double standard to have and it’s no wonder we continue to see violence in our community.
There’s a proverb which says “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”. It’s one of the basics of our education system.
We teach our kids drink driving is bad, unprotected sex is dangerous and taking drugs can lead down a very dark path. There’s even been a move to stamp out bullying in the playground.
But are we telling our kids about the risks associated with domestic violence?
How on earth are young people going to slip free of the grip violence holds on our culture if we continue to glorify it? We can watch contact sports, but we need to make it very clear that there’s a difference between enjoying the game and enjoying the hurt.
Violence is far too acceptable culturally and unless we as a community decide to change that culture, we will pass this curse on to our children. We must set an example for young people.
Since domestic violence is a problem that largely exists in the home, surely education about the dangers of domestic violence should take place in the home. It’s more than just physical abuse too, there’s the emotional and financial abuse that too often keeps people in abusive relationships.
Our boys and girls need to know hitting people they love is wrong and that being hit by the people they love is also wrong. There is never an excuse.
