Victoria turns purple for Candlelight Vigil | Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre

Watch the Vigil online

Landmarks around Victoria were lit up in purple on Wednesday 5 May as an online vigil was held to remember the lives of women and children who have been killed by family violence.

More than 1000 people joined the online Candlelight Vigil organised by Safe Steps, Victoria’s 24/7 Family Violence Response Centre.

Family violence remains endemic in Victoria. On any given night in Victoria, 100 women and children experiencing family violence are in crisis accommodation through Safe Steps^[1]. Victoria Police attended over 90,000 incidents of family violence in 2020 – one incident every six minutes ^[2].

Tragically, 11 women have been murdered so far in Australia in 2021^[3], and many thousands live with the trauma of family violence every day.

Speaking during the Vigil, Safe Steps CEO Rita Butera, said “This evening, we’re in mourning, remembering the devastating loss of so many women and children to family violence. We must do everything in our power to end this trauma.”

A range of landmarks including Flinders Street Station, Bolte Bridge, the Sound Tunnel, the Town Hall, the Coles Fountain at Parliament Gardens, and landmarks in regional Victoria were lit in purple on the evening and through the night.

Watch the Vigil online