Victims of domestic and family violence honoured in purple bench unveiling ceremony

A purple bench honouring victims of domestic and family violence was unveiled on the doorsteps of the Denmark Community Resource Centre this week.

One in three Australian women is likely to experience physical violence and one in five is likely to experience sexual violence, with the purple benches acting as a visible reminder.

The unveiling at 11am on Wednesday featured speakers from the Albany Women’s Centre and was attended by Shire of Denmark councillors.

Sitting outside the Denmark CRC, the bench features a plaque with details for those wanting to seek help.

“The bench will be located on the front veranda here at the CRC and the purple bench is to honour those who have tragically lost their lives to family and domestic violence,” Denmark CRC manager Petra Thompson said.

“It’s a bench that signals to people who are in a domestic violence situation that they can sit there and can get information.”

The bench was secured through a $200 Linkwest Micro grant and was organised by Tara Devoy from the Denmark CRC.

“It’s similar to the way that the blue tree is used to help promote awareness of mental health; the purple bench is a symbol for people who experience domestic violence,” she said.

“It’s a big issue but it’s a small token that we can contribute.”