No More: National Rally to end gendered sexual, domestic, and family violence Sunday, July 28 in Robertson Park

Orange residents are being asked to again unite in protest in Robertson Park on July 28 and take a stand against violence in our communities.

Following a spate of women being killed in violent attacks, including Forbes childcare worker Molly Ticehurst, not-for-profit advocacy group What Were You Wearing organised the first ‘No More’  rallies, which saw 100,000 people take to the streets to demand that politicians and change-makers take decisive action.

The April rallies led to a national cabinet meeting and a government acknowledgement that this is a national emergency. 

But with the number of women being killed still rising, Founder and CEO of What Were You Wearing Australia, Sarah Williams, has created this national event to call for more action. "Enough is enough. And it has been enough for a long time. We need more action from politicians, and we need them to take these crimes more seriously,” Ms Williams said.

“In 2012, two men were killed, triggering a whole new law. Now, more than 60 women are being murdered every year, and we are still lacking action."

The July rallies will run nationally, with multiple locations confirmed, including Robertson Park in Orange on July 28. More will be announced in the coming days.

The rallies aim to raise awareness, advocate for change, and urge Australia to address the pressing issue of violence that disproportionately impacts women, queer, disabled, and

Indigenous people. 

Ethan Fraser, long-time volunteer and CFO at What Were You Wearing, emphasised the importance of male support on this issue.

"When it's us men who are the predominant perpetrators of violence, it shouldn't be left to everyone else and the victims to address and fight the issue,” he said.

“If we aren't willing to support and continue to deny there's a problem, nothing will change.”

Rallies will start with a march through prominent streets in each area, followed by speeches, performances, and organised activities that aim to help survivor victims process the day, as well as providing a direct link to accessible services for victims.

As part of these rallies, organisers are pushing for two national demands: Mandatory trauma-informed training for first responders across Australia; and funding for grassroots organisations in the domestic, family, and sexual violence sector, including men’s behaviour change programs and women’s refuges.

The No More: National Rally Against Violence will take place in Orange at 2.30pm Sunday, July 28 in Robertson Park. All Orange residents are invited to join What Were You Wearing in again taking a stand against the epidemic of gendered violence.