Shellharbour's Rose Cassar is organising a rape prevention seminar for Illawarra women, following the death of Jill Meagher. Picture: DAVE TEASE
Rose Cassar didn't know slain Melbourne woman Jill Meagher.
But like so many, she has been deeply affected by the 29-year-old's alleged rape and murder.
Ms Meagher's death drew thousands to share their grief and disbelief on Facebook, and it is here that Ms Cassar first heard of a rape-prevention seminar hosted by Melbourne martial arts and self-defence expert Karl Thornton.
But when she was unable to find anything similar in NSW, Ms Cassar accepted an offer for Mr Thornton to come to the Illawarra.
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She hopes his presentation, to be held at Wollongong's Fontana Restaurant on October 15, will help empower those who attend and replace fear with knowledge.
"You can't change predators, but we might be able to be a little bit safer in the things that we do," she said.
"I can't go on the rest of my life always going out with someone like my partner to feel that I'm safe."
Ms Cassar said the seminar would help women learn to be more aware of their surroundings and arm them with ways to reduce the chances they might be targeted. "I know I've had a heightened sense of what's going on around me for quite a while now, but I don't think a lot of women do," she said.
"I think until something happens to them, or something frightening like Jill Meagher's death happens, they don't really pay attention to their surroundings."
Ms Meagher was attacked while walking home from an inner-city Brunswick bar in the early hours of Saturday, September 22, and her body was later found in a shallow grave more than 50 kilometres away.
The cost of the presentation is $10 and places can be booked by calling 0468 416 493.
The Chifley Hotel, Flight Centre Warrawong and KwikKopy Wollongong are sponsors.
