The annual Step Out Speak Out walk was held on the 24 November 2023 to raise awareness about domestic violence, in the hopes of eradicating it from society.

Three Year 12 students from the Social Action Va’ad and Ms Lawrence attended this walk, which was organised by the NSW Police Department, the Randwick City Council and the supporting organisations of the SES and the Juniors.

Saturday 25 November 2023 marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which is the beginning of the annual international campaign known as the 16 Days of Activism. During these 16 days, we are asked to Step Out, Speak Out and march against domestic violence as a community and in support of one another. The reason this walk is held before the 16 days of activism is because ‘Step Out Speak Out’ seeks to raise awareness of domestic violence, while the 16 days of activism target gender-based violence against women and girls. 

Our morning started in the cold and rainy High Cross Park in Randwick. At 7.30 am, we started the walk down to Coogee Beach via Coogee Bay Road and up to Grant Reserve, where the Police Band was playing, welcoming the public, and the many schools to this important event. We heard from a range of different speakers including Randwick Council Mayor Philipa Veitch, as well as the student leaders of local schools, including Randwick Girls High School, St Spyridon College and Waverley College. The student leaders spoke about a range of themes, including coercive control, being an upstander rather than a bystander, the importance of reporting domestic violence and how to provide help to victims of domestic violence. 

As for the concluding speech, the head student from Waverley College spoke about the role of young people in ending domestic violence as this is the world that will be ours to control. Everyone who was present at the event took a pledge of commitment to achieving this goal: “We will step out. We will speak out. We will end domestic violence”.

Overall, it was an insightful and meaningful morning.

At the end of the walk Medium

Before the walk Medium

On the walk Medium

“Stand with courage, lead with conviction, and speak out to promote non-violence as the norm. Take action to end domestic violence and all forms of violence.”