Although a great deal of good work is being done to get people to better understand and tackle this difficult issue, there is much left to be done.

Family violence and how best to deal with it has become an election issue in Victoria and the conversation is well under way with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Victoria’s Chief Police Commissioner Ken Lay openly discussing domestic violence while seeking new approaches and resources to deal with it.

Then there is Rosie Batty, the mother of Luke Batty who was killed by his father in an incident that shocked Australia. 

Mrs Batty’s strength and clear-spoken resolve to put family violence firmly on the political agenda has been nothing short of inspirational.

Locally, there is a terrific program being run called Take A Stand.

Developed by Women’s Health Victoria with funding for two years from VicHealth, Take A Stand aims to tackle the issue in workplaces around the region.

With nearly one in five Australian women having experienced violence of some form from a partner or ex-partner, the chances are domestic violence is affecting workplaces in the south-west now.

If workplaces commit to Take A Stand on the issue, there are benefits such as increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and of course increased wellbeing and workplace culture.

It is not that hard or even that time consuming to be involved in this important program for our community.

There is a lot to be said for being an employer of choice and a leader in, not only corporate, but social responsibility. Trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox’s has been a huge supporter and his employees have raved about Take A Stand and the things they learned.

The south-west has proven itself to be a champion of a good cause time and again and this should be no exception.

If you think it’s time to Take A Stand, call 5500 5490 and sign up.