Jordan Doherty
Murals will be displayed across Brimbank and Melton as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
It is hoped the murals will encourage communities to think and reflect on the meaning of respect.
Brimbank council is supporting the international campaign, which aims to galvanise action to end violence against women and girls around the world.
The16 Days of Activism started on November 25, coinciding with International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ended on December 10, which marks Human Rights Day.
As part of the campaign, Baptcare’s family and community services teams collected the many voices of people who have experienced and are experiencing family violence, providing participants with material so they could create murals and poems reflecting their views on respect.
More than 200 creative contributions, including over 100 calico mural squares, will be united to make large wall hangings. Each mural comprises about 20 calico squares.
Baptcare family violence team leader Ginnelle Mullins said: “This project has allowed over 200 plus people feel safe and be a part of the mission to stop gendered violence using creativity.
” It is such a great project and I’m so humbled to be a part of it. Many voices have contributed together on this to create one mighty voice that can clearly be seen through these murals.
“During the 16 Days we collected people voices within the communities we serve in their response to their perceptions towards “Respect is” and to stop gendered violence. As such the mural will be displayed post 16 Days to continue to discussion.”
Sunshine is one of the first suburbs planned to display the five murals. It is envisaged the murals will change locations to ensure other suburbs.
