Shepparton stands up to gendered violence

By Bree Harding

Jul 29, 2024

A crowd of around 60 marched the streets of Shepparton at the weekend to shine a light on gender-based violence in Australia.

People brought their dogs to the rally, dressed in purple and orange harnesses and leashes, the colours of support for the event. Photo by Bree Harding

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Shepparton-based group Goulburn Valley Against Gendered Violence held a rally at Victoria Park Lake on Saturday morning, where guest speakers and members of the public addressed the crowd.

Marchers make their way along Welsford St from Victoria Park Lake. Photo by Bree Harding

After an introduction by one of the organisers, Maddi Thorpe, and a Welcome to Country by Uncle Stan Dryden, who also delivered a speech on his own experiences with violence, supporters set off for a march in the CBD.

Uncle Stan Dryden helps ground the crowd by playing the didgeridoo. Photo by Bree Harding

They raised their handmade signs into the sky past the police station and courthouse along the block bordered by Sobraon, Welsford, High and Wyndham Sts as police escorts stopped traffic.

People of all ages and genders attended the rally and march. Photo by Bree Harding

The crowd paused at the corner of Sobraon and Wyndham Sts to temporarily hang their placards on the chain-wire fence adjacent to the lake, along with purple and orange support ribbons, so that passing foot and road traffic could further absorb the message.

For many, rallying is a part of healing from their own experiences with violence and showing their support for others who have experienced or are experiencing the same. Photo by Bree Harding

Purple and orange ribbons were attached to the fence on the corner of Wyndham and Sobraon Sts. Photo by Bree Harding

Lutfiye Kavci attached support ribbons to the fence in Wyndham St before telling the crowd her own horrific story of escaping violence. Photo by Bree Harding

Upon returning to the rally’s starting point at the lake, guest speaker and one of the event’s organisers, Lutfiye Kavci, took to the microphone to lead the crowd in a minute’s silence for victims and survivors of domestic violence and to tell the crowd her story of surviving her attempted murder.

A crowd of around 60 assembled at Victoria Park Lake for the rally on Saturday morning. Photo by Bree Harding

“Organising this rally and march was very important to me because I am very passionate about spreading awareness of domestic violence in hopes of making a change,” she said after the rally.

Police escorted the crowd through Shepparton’s CBD on Saturday morning. Photo by Bree Harding

“But it was also a very big learning curve for me because we made sure the whole town knew this was happening.”

The crowd marches down Wyndham St. Photo by Bree Harding

The group put flyers in shop windows and high foot traffic areas, and letterbox drops to hundreds of homes ahead of the rally.

Supporters against gender-based violence march down Welsford St, past Shepparton Police Station. Photo by Bree Harding

“We also made sure support services were made aware so they could come along to show their support, but unfortunately they were disappointingly lacking,” Ms Kavci said.