Reclaim the Night Illawarra held its annual vigil on Thursday to remember all 35 women who have been killed over the past 12 months.
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Members of the community gathered at Wollongong Lighthouse as it was lit up purple, and COVID-safe speeches were broadcast via facebook.
Michelle Glasgow from the Illawarra Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service said while the vigil has run for a number of years, 2021 felt like a "cultural shift".
"I think this year has been a watershed moment, particularly with the incidents that have occurred even at the highest levels in parliament," she said.
"There has been a cultural shift in the younger generation saying this is not behaviour we're going to tolerate anymore.
"What we need is a shift around mindset of how we treat women in our community."
Although this years event had to be held with COVID-safe social distancing practices, Ms Glasgow said the sense of community was still there.
"All the speeches for the night were pre-recorded and uploaded to our facebook page," she said.
"To get the community together, raise awareness around these issues, recognise we have an active community in the Illawarra is really special.
"We have so many local services doing everything in our power to support women and children experiencing violence. "
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