While the 16 Days in WA is over for another year, a reflection of last year’s events have shown the strength that the Community, Respect & Equality alliance has in working together for the prevention of violence against women in our community.
16 Days in WA is an annual, statewide initiative launched in 2017, inspired by the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the drivers of gender-based violence, strengthen community understanding, and encourage everyone to take action to help prevent violence before it starts.
During the 2025 16 Days in WA campaign, 25 local organisations in Geraldton coordinated 30 community events and 11 training sessions and workshops, with almost 1,000 people participating across the community. In addition, 19 organisations turned orange in solidarity, creating eye-catching displays and exhibitions and sharing prevention messages through social media, television, radio and local newspapers.
While the campaign generated strong community awareness, it also strengthened collaboration between local organisations, reinforcing the message that everyone has a role to play in preventing violence against women.
While collective action has been at the heart of Community, Respect and Equality since its inception in 2017, it was encouraging to see even more organisations step forward and take action. It demonstrates that every organisation, and every individual, can play a part to prevent violence against women in our community. Community, Respect & Equality is a practical way for us to work together, build on each other’s strengths, and keep driving change in our community – not just for 16 days, but every day