Family Violence – “Intervene” says Brogden
Former NSW Liberal Party leader John Brogden spoke to an all-male audience in Sydney on White Ribbon Day – a United Nations campaign to stop domestic violence against women.
John Borgden
Dr John Eisman, before introducing Brogden, said that domestic violence was all around us and we have “to take a stand” so that the people who commit realise “it’s not OK”.
Brogden barred no holds in his address to the 100 professional and business men at the breakfast in the Vibe Hotel.
He told his very personal story of how domestic violence had impacted on his own family and the devastating effect it had had on his mother. Matters became exacerbated when his father became an alcoholic and life for the Brogden family was a living nightmare. He spoke openly about his attempt to commit suicide
At the end of his address, the former political leader made a strong plea for intervention.
Professor John Eisman, John Brogden and JewishCare president Alan Vidor
He said that no-one should be shy in coming forward to intervene if and when they became aware of incidents of domestic violence. He said: “In life you can do one of two things. You can watch something go by you, or you can intervene. I look back on the physical violence and the incredible mental manipulation my mother experienced and the effect that it had on all of us as a consequence. Intervention is always the hardest thing.” He said that intervening in a family or friend;s marriage is very difficult. “You can be guaranteed of a couple of things. Your intervention will usually not be welcome and it could destroy a relationship or at least harm it for a long period of time. Having lived the life I’ve lived, I would ask each of you, if you know of somebody amongst your family, friends or community who is being violent against a woman, don’t just think of upsetting him…think of helping the children and think of intervening to stop them living a tortured life. I can’t tell you hard it is to be a child experiencing this. Intervene..you’ll upset people you may not be successful but it’s our responsibility as men to ensure that other women don’t live this tragedy.”
The event was organised by JewishCare.
