By Brendan Rees
Victims of crime will find support for their healing journey in a forum supported by City of Casey.
Led by CEO of the Forget Me Not Foundation Janine Greening, victims will hear from police, victims of serious crime and passionate advocates for changes to the judicial system.
Ms Greening said the forum, to be held Sunday 8 October at the City of Casey Civic Centre in Narre Warren was an opportunity for the community to learn about the untold truths about crime and its consequences.
The forum will host speakers from Crime Stoppers, Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, and Casey Neighbourhood Watch as well as Australia’s Domestic Violence expert Anita Bentata.
Ms Greening, also a victim after her mother was sexually assaulted and killed by two boys aged 15 and 16 in 2000, says she will talk about the consequences of youth offenders.
She recalled a time she received a phone call from a young man, who talked about his struggle to move on in life after being callously attacked one Saturday afternoon when he “was minding his own business.”
“All he wanted to do was to go shopping and he got bashed up. He’s got kids. He owns a business. And he just went to go down the street, and now he was afraid to go back to work.”
“It’s about being vigilant and it doesn’t mean it’s going to stop something. Sometimes it can if you’re aware of your surroundings and who’s around you.”
Ms Greening says the forum will be about community safety and a place where people and victims of crime can learn of solutions and uplifting stories of survival.
“When you actually hear from people that have been there, you learn the different processes. It’s the education. It’s about awareness.”
“It’s people telling their stories. Then people are getting the information, the messages, to be more aware and vigilant. For example, you don’t go walking around, you know, how a lot of young people walking in the dark with earplugs listening to music and anyone could be behind them.”
Hosted by the National Victims of Crime Awareness Week and Forget Me Not Foundation, there will also be talks on domestic violence, community safety and missing persons.
“There will be victims of domestic violence and we’ve got people who are authors and adult survivors of sexual abuse,” Ms Greening said.
Casey’s Councillor Amanda Stapledon said the forum would acknowledge victims of crime and police who see so much violence and crime in the community.
“The day will be a commemorative and uplifting event that will present on ways in which we can work together to make our community a safer place to live,” she said.
The forum will run from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday 8 October at the City of Casey Civic Centre in Narre Warren (20 Magid Drive, Narre Warren).
