Community & Business
6 May, 2025
Ceremonies to honour victims
CEREMONIES will be held across the region this Wednesday to honour the lives lost and support the families affected by Domestic and Family Violence (DFV).
The Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service (CRDVS) invites the community to participate in the ceremonies that will include a candle lighting ceremony at 6pm, which will be held simultaneously across the state to draw attention to the issue.
Community members can show their support by attending the ceremonies at either Atherton’s Anzac Park or Mareeba’s 100 Park.
Both ceremonies will commence at 5.40pm and conclude at 6.10pm. Attendees are invited to stay for light refreshments following the event.
Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month in May is a Statewide campaign aimed at raising awareness of domestic and family violence across the community.
On why it is so important for the communities to support Remembrance Day, Ms Sandra Keogh, CEO of CRDVS said, “Participating in ceremonies is particularly important to the friends, families and communities impacted when someone loses their life at the hands of someone they loved.
“It is a reminder that no community is immune and keeps these deaths visible when so often they have been a brief and often sensationalised headline.
“Coming together in this way is also a show of support for victims of domestic and family violence as so many survivors and victims’ families are forced to carry this burden silently.”
According to recent statistics, there have been 55 known domestic and family violence-related deaths in Australia between 1 May 2024 and 30 April 2025, including 49 women and girls, as well as six boys and men.
Of these deaths, Queensland recorded the highest number of DFV related fatalities, with a total of 21 deaths, followed by New South Wales with 18 deaths.
All other states and territories across Australia had eight or fewer deaths.
