Ash Johnstone thinks 30 years is probably enough time to talk about domestic violence.
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"We need to stop raising awareness and start taking action," she said.
"If our leaders can't step up, we need to show there are clear consequences. It's not good enough."
Ms Johnstone is a Dunghutti woman and the Aboriginal focus worker for Women Illawarra, and specialises in supporting Indigenous women who are experiencing family or domestic violence.
She's also acting CEO for Women's Safety NSW and one of a swathe of Illawarra experts calling for funds for a local Women's Trauma Recovery Centre.
The 30th anniversary of the Global 16 Days Campaign to end gendered violence begins Thursday, and Ms Johnstone thinks there's no better time to act.
It's not just that the issue is timely, it's that our region is in the midst of a crisis.
"There is a huge increase in the number of young women in our own town who are suffering abuse," she said.
"We're also seeing more severe forms of violence, and there's a direct relationship with COVID.
"Before lockdown women living in a tense home could go to a drop-in centre or visit their mum for a few days if they felt their partner needed to cool off," she said.
"They may not have realised they were in a violent relationship until there wasn't that outlet. When things did erupt it was on a much bigger scale."
Ms Johnstone hopes this is the year Australians stop talking about domestic violence and start to act.
From something as small as refusing to laugh at a sexist joke, up to demanding MPs demonstrate their commitment to making change, there is plenty to be done.
One local cause that needs a push is the proposal for a local Women's Trauma Recovery Centre. Sally Stevenson, general manager of the Illawarra Women's Health Centre, said a business case was submitted to the NSW Government in July, but it remains "on hold".
"We need to rally behind the creation of the trauma centre," Ms Johnstone said.
"It's a radical proposal that will provide a huge amount of support for the people in our community who need it. The community services space is so underfunded, we have tiny pools of money we have to fight for every year. We're calling on the government to stop talking and actually do something. Now is the time for genuine action."
Ms Johnstone wants First Nations women's voices front and centre of the Global 16 days campaign.
Domestic and family violence isn't just about gender - age, culture, religion and sexual orientation can all shape a person's experience of violence. It's crucial victims receive support that works for them.
"We do not need people to tell us how to work in our own communities," Ms Johnstone said.
"We do need a space for our community to have these discussions and make our own decisions.
"We have more than 60,000 years of knowledge about how to have safe, happy, healthy communities, and that must be recognised."
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