The WHY Campaign - Day 5 of 16 Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Our upcming evenets are in honour of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 25 Novemebr & Human Rights Day 10 Dec. "The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It was started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls." 

Meet Our Next Guest Laura Bos

Speakers Bio – Laura Bos

Laura Bos is a founding Board Member of Small Steps 4 Hannah and was the inaugural Board Chair. As inaugural Chair, Laura was instrumental in supporting the Clarke family to develop the organisation’s strategy and be the champions of changes to laws around coercive control. Small Steps 4 Hannah is also an organisation that supports behavioural change to reduce incidences of domestic and family violence today and tomorrow, working in partnership with other organisations to deliver critical programs that will change the course of participants’ lives.

A passionate advocate of supporting people to be ‘better humans’, Laura has championed programs and worked with many organisations that are focused on support and education, believing that, in the words of Maya Angelou, ‘when you know better, you do better.”

Event Topic: 'Movements for Change - Small Steps 4 Hannah: In memory of Hannah Clarke, Aaliyah, Laianah, & Trey (RIP)'

The Tragic Backstory of 'Small Steps 4 Hannah

On 19th of February 2020. An Australian woman and her three young children were brutally murdered in a domestic violence attack. As Hannah Clarke was getting ready to take her children to school her estranged husband poured petrol over the car and set the car on fire instantly killing her children. Her husband then killed himself at the scene of the crime with self-inflicted stab wounds. Hannah Clarke and her children, six-year-old Aaliyah, four-year-old Laianah and three-year-old Trey, were heading out on the school run when her estranged husband Rowan Baxter jumped in the car, poured petrol over the children and the car, and set it alight. Hannah suffered burns to 97% of her body and died a few hours later in hospital, despite desperate attempts to save her life. It’s one of Australia’s worst acts of domestic violence.The footprints on the logo for Small Steps 4 Hannah are actually Hannah’s footprints taken in the hospital, the only part of her body that wasn’t burnt.

The murder of Hannah Clarke and her children was a ‘line in the sand’ moment in Australia; a moment when our community came together and said that ‘where domestic and family violence is concerned, enough is enough!’. Of course, for Lloyd, Sue, and Nat Clarke it was much more than that. On that fateful day in February 2020, the Clarke family lost four beautiful souls in the worst of circumstances. In their quest to honor Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey and ensure that no family should endure this pain again, the Clarke family have started a movement for change — Small Steps 4 Hannah — to put a HALT to the incidences and severity of domestic and family violence in Australia.

Through Small Steps 4 Hannah it is the hope of the Clarke family to harness the collective desire of us all to make positive changes required to HALT domestic and family violence and take the steps required to do it; small steps that will eventually be giant leaps forward. Hannah was buried with her three children in the same casket a few days later.

According to Mission Australia.com.au, 16% of women (1.5 million) and 5.9% of men (528,800) have experienced physical violence from a partner since they were 15 More than 1 million Australian children are affected by domestic and family violence. Around 37% of people seeking help from specialist homelessness services in 2018–19 were experiencing domestic and family violence. Domestic and family violence was the main reason why 80,000 people asked for help from specialist homelessness services in 2018–19.4 Of the people who asked for help from specialist homelessness services due to domestic and family violence-related issues, more than three out of four or 77% were female.

On average, one woman per week is killed by a current or former partner. On average, one male per month is killed by a current or former partner. (References: https://medium.com/resonates|https://smallsteps4hannah.com.au/\https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/)

Join us in solidarity to prevent the next woman like Hannah, and her three beautiful children Aaliyah, Laianah, & Trey from losing their lives to male violence. Find out how you can be part of the "MovementForChange" and #Halt Domestic Violence| Intimate Partner Abuse & Learn about Coercive Control and raise more public awareness and prevent the challenge this in our communities. #SmallSteps4Hannah #TheWhyCampaignTeam #OneYearZeroDeaths2025 #WeHearYou