They attended a Zonta Club of Berry and Waminda organised White Ribbon event at Nowra's Harry Sawkins Park.

Aim of the event was to get people to start thinking about ways they can stop men being violent towards women.

It was very much a family event with men, women and children in attendance.

Local White Ribbon ambassador Duncan Nisbet was one of the speakers and he said the elimination of violence towards women was everyone’s business.

People went away from the event with a commitment to come back next year and hold something bigger and get more people to attend.

Meanwhile, a Shoalhaven woman, who still bears the physical and mental scars from her violent relationship, hopes more people will support events like White Ribbon Day.

Because of on going issues the women can’t be identified but her bravery can’t be questioned.

It’s not her own safety she is fearful about – it’s for those around her, including her children.

The strong supporter of White Ribbon Day cringes when she reads a newspaper turns on the radio or the television to find out another domestic violence statistic has been added to the tally.

“It makes me sad – so sad,” she said.

Statistics show domestic violence occupies more police time than any other crime type – last year, officers responded to around 120,000 domestic incidents, which is about 330 each day.

On average, there are 35 domestic-related homicides in NSW each year, but only one in ten victims was known to police to be in an abusive relationship in the year before their deaths.

If people want to help reduce the statistics the local domestic violence sufferer said they could attend a White Ribbon event tomorrow (Thursday November 27).

The event will be held from 4pm to about 7pm at Salt Ministries Bomaderry just near the ten pin bowling centre.

Various people will speak about domestic violence, including a local police officer and local high school students.

More information is available by searching domestic violence awareness on Facebook.

White Ribbon is Australia’s only national, male led campaign to end men’s violence against women.