Did you know that Tuesday just gone, November 25, was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women?

It's also the very first day of an annual worldwide event designed to promote awareness, discussion, and most importantly, behavioural change: the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, a campaign which will run until Human Rights Day on December 10.

Locally, the Dubbo Violence Prevention Collective (DVPC) has revived the Reclaim The Night March, which will be held in Dubbo on Friday, December 6.

The march will leave the Church St rotunda around 6pm and make its way along Macquarie St, Talbragar St, Darling St, before returning to Church St. At the completion of the march, attendees will be invited to stay on for an event at the Church St rotunda with a host of activities, speakers and more. This will conclude around 9pm.

Months in the planning, the event is for everyone in the community because gendered violence impacts every part of the community, DVPC spokesperson Matt Sharkey told Dubbo Photo News.

"Reclaim The Night is is an activity that was happening pre-COVID, but it's remained dormant for quite a period of time, so we really want to try and gain a bit of momentum here and set up the scaffold for future years," Matt explained.

"What we're trying to do is emphasise the importance of respectful relationships. For one, we want to try to educate people and get the word out.

"We want to try and make victim-survivors aware that they're not alone, that we're recognising their experience, that they know we are we are available and we are here to support them in this space.

"And then the flip side of that is really drumming down on who we know statistically are the primary perpetrators of the violence and the sexual violence, and hold them accountable," he added.

Support for victim-survivors is an important part of the event.

"We're going to have lots of service providers there as well, sharing information and supporting people who may need support, or those who have experienced intimate partner violence or have experienced sexual assault and are curious as to what it might look like for them moving forward, if they feel safe, to link into supports," he explained.

"We've also got a free barbecue that all the Rotary clubs are putting on for us, so we'll be able to share a meal together as well," he added.

Local musician Sammi Bourke is donating her time and talents to provide entertainment on the night, and there will be Cultural performances from First Nations groups and members of the ORISCON communities.

Guest speakers will include behavioural scientist and Small Steps For Hannah ambassador Dave Kramer, and psychiatrist and medical superintendent Dr Tanveer Ahmed.

"Dave Kramer's an amazing fellow who does lots of education with young people around respectful relationships," Matt said.

"Because he is a part of the cultural and linguistically diverse community, Dr Ahmed is able to talk on the issues of intimate partner violence, coercive control, and those kind of really invasive components of relationships across all communities," he added.

Reclaim The Night was last held around 2017, Matt said, and there was a real need to bring the event back given the ongoing violence against women, in particular, which has seen the death of 62 women this year and 24 children in Australia.

The DVPC hopes they will be joined by community members and groups, sporting clubs and anyone with an interest in stopping gender-based violence for the Reclaim The Night March and supporting activities on Friday, December 6.

Dubbo Photo News will attend the event. We hope you'll join us and support the work of the Dubbo Violence Prevention Collective and its members and community partners including police, government agencies, and the Dubbo Regional Council.