Change for Sam, the organisation formed in the wake of Samantha Fraser’s death in 2018, is hosting a Candlelight Vigil on Wednesday May 3, at 6pm at the Jetty Triangle in Cowes.

The event is being organised in conjunction with Bass Coast Shire Council and Gippsland Women’s Health.

Across Victoria, communities and buildings will be turning purple as part of the Safe Steps annual Candlelight Vigil campaign to remember and honour those who have been killed by domestic and family violence.

Lija Matthews from Change for Sam said holding a local event was a way for the community to come together and remember Sam and others lost to family violence.

“It will be very informal and family friendly,” she explained.

“There won’t be big speeches, but we will have a minute’s silence to remember those we’ve lost.

“There will be a sausage sizzle and all money raised on the night will go to Change for Sam.”

Lija said a local Candlelight Vigil is set to become an annual event.

“We wanted to hold something locally, to show that we haven’t forgotten Sam, or any others who have experienced family violence.

“There has to be a change that comes out of this; a positive outcome.”

Family violence rates in Bass Coast are well above the state average, with the rate of offences per 100,000 population almost double the Victorian average.

Buildings across the shire will be lit up, including the Wonthaggi Arts Centre, as landmarks around the state turn purple.

The Safe Steps Candlelight Vigil campaign coincides with National Domestic Violence Remembrance Day.

Change

Change for Sam was an initiative formed by a group of community members and family violence service providers in the wake of Sam Fraser’s tragic death in 2018.

Since then, the group has worked to develop a strong family violence strategy, aimed at preventing such tragedies in the future in the Bass Coast community.

Sam’s ex-husband, Adrian Basham was charged with her murder.

In April 2022, a jury found Mr Basham guilty and in February 2023, a judge sentenced him to life in prison with a minimum 30-year non-parole period.

For information about Change for Sam, visit www.changeforsam.com.au.
To make a donation go to www.facebook.com/changeforsam?mibextid=LQQJ4d
 

Gippsland statistics

The family violence statistics in the region are alarming, with Gippsland recording some of the highest rates of family violence in the state.

All six Gippsland councils are ranked in the top 30.

Latrobe City holds the number one spot for family violence rates in Victoria, with East Gippsland at number two, and Wellington at number four. Bass Coast comes in at 16, with South Gippsland at 26 and Baw Baw at 30.

Between 2016 and 2021, nearly 900 women and children were murdered by family violence perpetrators in Australia.

In 2022, 63 women were killed – meaning one woman died every six days.

To date in 2023, 14 women have been killed from family violence.

More than a third of women have experienced violence from a man they know, with at least 2.7 million women being abused by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15.

At least 2.6 million Australian adults witnessed domestic and family violence in their home before the age of 15.

Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre is Victoria’s state-wide response service for women, young people and children experiencing family violence.
www.safesteps.org.au