White Ribbon showcase breaks the silence

Around 100 people from Canterbury-Bankstown will break their silence when they perform at Bankstown Central Shopping Centre on Thursday (25 July), in the White Ribbon Break the Silence Youth Showcase.

The show, which will take place at 6pm, will include various songs, dances and other performances, all with the message of speaking up about ending violence against women.

The special event is being coordinated by Bankstown Youth Development Service (BYDS) and Bankstown White Ribbon working party, of which Council is a member.

Mayor Khal Asfour welcomed local youth putting their voice to an important and worthy cause.

"I am proud our youth understand the seriousness of domestic violence and, more than that, they want to raise awareness in the community," he said.

According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, CBCity is ranked 82 out of 120 Local Government Areas for domestic violence-related assaults, with a 15 per cent drop over the past three years.

"Just because our statistics have gone down, doesn’t mean domestic violence is ever tolerable in our community," Mayor Asfour said.

Some of the performances at the upcoming show will include students from the BYDS’ R.E.S.P.E.C.T Program, Banksia Road Public School, Birrong Public School and Condell Park Public School, former R.E.S.P.E.C.T participants and community members, including a mother’s rap group.

"It has grown so much that this year we’ve had to order more than 200 chairs just to accommodate the expected audience," BYDS Coordinator Craig Taunton said.

"Even though we’re in our fourth year, the aim is to keep building on it and that is exactly what we’ve done this year.

"We have parents who watched last year who are a part of it this year’s showcase, and even a number of former R.E.S.P.E.C.T students are coming back to perform."