Picture It...

I want you to picture something for me. Don't question it right now, just humour me. 

***trigger warning ahead***

Picture 33 women you know and care about in some way. Your mum, daughter/s, sister/s, aunt/s, neice/s, girlfriend/s, friends. Picture 33 of them. Think about how much you love for them- some obviously more then others. Just linger on that feeling for a while, how much these people mean to you. They may annoy you at times but they all have had an impact on your life. 

Now imagine a male standing next to them. Someone who they care about, a husband, boyfriend, father, friend... See the two of these people standing next to each other. You may know some of these males, you may be friends with some of these males. 

Now imagine those men turning to the women and killing them. Some beat these women until they can't breathe on their own. Some use objects- knives, cars, kitchen utensils. Some use their bare hands. Some turn the women's  minds against them to the point they kill themselves. 

Are you disturbed yet? Have you cringed? Do you not like thinking about this? Have I just made it too personal? 

If I have, then good. 

These are the facts 33 women have been killed in Australia this year. Each of these women personally knew the person who killed them. 

 

It's easy to take a step back and say, it's just 33 women, to say I don't know them so it doesn't matter to me. But what if you did know these women? Because they are all someone's daughter, someone's friend, someone's sister. 

This is got to stop. The time is now to open up these channels of communication and say enough is enough. How much harder would you fight if it was one of those women you pictured who were amount that 33? 

Men, how would you feel if you knew it was one of your family or friends who killed one of those women you just pictured? Would that change the way you currently view domestic violence? Would that change the way you currently act about it? 

I am not trying to blame or shame anyone (apart from those who intentionally hurt others), but I am asking the question of what needs to change in your life for you to pay attention? For you to do something? For you to stand up to friends, family, mates and say 'that's not cool'. Why does it take making it personal for a change to maybe happen? 

Keep in mind, 33 is just the number of women who have been killed by a significant other. The total number of women killed in Australia this year stands at 63. Add another 30 women you know to the original 33 you pictured. 

Make the change. Be the change. Enough is enough.