The Victorian Country Press Association presented the Pakenham-Berwick Gazette team with the Best Community Campaign award in November for its Road To Respect campaign.
According to the judges’ comments, it was “an impactful campaign tackling domestic violence with compassion, combining data and personal stories to urge action“.
The judges commended journalist Jamie Salter for the article ‘Beware the little Red Flags,” describing it as “emotionally engaging“.
The Gazette kicked off the campaign back in May 2022 to shine a spotlight on family violence through the pages of the newspaper and online and social media challenges.
Partly funded by a Facebook grant through the Walkley Foundation, journalists were specifically tasked to source and write content aimed at informing and challenging the community.
The Gazette published eight-page liftout features from May 2022 to February this year.
The Gazette also named the individuals putting an end to family violence as the 2022 People of the Year.
Pakenham MP Emma Vulin also made it her mission to raise the profile of victim-survivors of family and domestic violence.
In her maiden speech, she spoke about ensuring the voices of lived experience continue to be heard.
Family and domestic violence is an issue that is close to her heart.
“The prevention of family violence and domestic violence is important to me because it is something that has impacted my own extended family,” she told the Gazette.
“I have witnessed firsthand the trauma it causes to not only victims, but victim’s families and in turn the whole community.
“The struggles of victim-survivors are lifelong for many. Experiences like this have long lasting detrimental effects.
“Family violence is prevalent in far too many families – the community and all levels of government have a role to play to educate and support people.”
