Hundreds of people from across Geelong will come together on Wednesday to honour and remember those who lost their lives to family violence.
The Geelong Candlelight Vigil Forum will be held at the Geelong Arts Centre on May 7 to allow the community to unite and share stories of strength.
Meli chief executive Grant Boyd said he was expecting close to 220 people to attend the vigil and that it was important to “highlight the invisible voices” of young people impacted by family violence.
“At Meli, we witness daily the devastating effects of family violence on children and young people,” he said.
“The Candlelight Vigil Forum is a crucial opportunity to discuss these impacts and explore how we can break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
“The vigil aims to educate and advocate to the Greater Geelong community about the prevalence of family violence in our community and explore practical steps towards real change.”
Former world number four tennis champion Jelena Dokic will be the keynote speaker for the vigil’s second year and will share her story of resilience and experience with domestic violence and child abuse.
Ms Dokic will join an expert panel following her speech to discuss the impact of family violence on children and young people before the forum concludes with a vigil and a minute of silence.
Family incidents recorded in Greater Geelong last year had increased by 4.5 per cent from the previous year, with 5,533 incidents attended by Victoria Police in 2024, according to Crime Statistics Agency.
Member for Lara Ella George, Member for Geelong Christine Couzens and Member for Corangamite Libby Coker will also attend the event.
Landmarks across Geelong will also light up purple to raise awareness of family and domestic violence.
Visit safesteps.org.au/candlelight-vigil to learn more about the Geelong Candlelight Vigil Forum. Help is also available through 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
