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Stitched by: NS

Pattern designed by: My own design

It’s likely that many of us will forever think of 2020 as the year of staying at home. Like most people who have been lucky enough to retain their jobs and to not be working in front-line industries, I have spent the last five months working at home. Each day begins by lighting a roaring fire which brings not only warmth, but also much pleasure to my partner (who is also working at home), myself, and our four cats. Our house is spacious enough that we each have our own office spaces and our fridge is never empty. While I sometimes find myself complaining about having cabin fever I am also mindful of just how privileged I am.

Unlike the literally thousands of people across Australia who are sleeping in refuges, shelters, parks, cars, and on friends’ floor and couches, I have a home. And unlike the millions of adults and children who are subjected to domestic and sexual violence, abuse, and harassment, I have a home that is safe. As a recent survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed, more than half of women who had experienced physical or sexual violence before the COVID-19 crisis said the violence had become more frequent or severe since the start of the pandemic. This is true too for children at risk.
Purple Ribbon is a movement across Australia to safeguard women and children against domestic and family violence.