Prison no bar to women running domestic violence challenge

Seventy-one QCS officers from across the state took up this week’s Darkness to Daylight Challenge, pledging to run more 4750km.

And proving that bars are no barrier, more than 150 women at Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre ran in an adapted version of the challenge on 30 May, doubling the 110km target to 220km by completing 900 laps of the BWCC oval.

BWCC prisoners taking part in the Darkness to Daylight challenge.

Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre (BWCC) General Manager Darryll Fleming said the challenge, run annually as part of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, was an important cause, with each of the 110km symbolising a life lost every year.

“For our women, 87 per cent of whom have experienced victimisation and trauma in relationships, participation was empowering and meaningful.

“It brought the outside world in and supported the women to take action for something that has deeply affected them and their children.

“Many of the women involved took the opportunity to share their experiences and help each other in overcoming this scourge on society,” Mr Fleming said.

BWCC prisoners running laps of the oval for the Darkness to Daylight challenge.

Domestic and family violence (DFV) incidents have reached an all-time high and as a White Ribbon accredited workplace, Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) is dedicated to ending domestic and family violence.

“We recognise the significant impact domestic violence has on the Queensland community and unfortunately, many of us have seen this first hand.

“QCS officers are committed to playing a role in ending this type of violence and we work closely with perpetrators to address their behaviours and deliver rehabilitative programs focusing on violence, sexual offending, substance abuse and mental health, which have all been linked to DFV.

“QCS is also committed to assisting prisoners and offenders who have been victims of DFV through support programs throughout our correctional centres,” Mr Fleming said.

QCS at the Darkness to Daylight challenge main event in Brisbane.

QCS encouraged its officers to join the Darkness to Daylight challenge and provided a support tent at the main event held at Brisbane’s Southbank over the night of May 29/30.