Rosalind Park vigil calls for action in wake of Logee Osias' death

Representatives from four services addressed a crowd of around 150 at the late afternoon Rosalind Park event on November 2.

The heads of the Centre for Non-Violence, Annie North Refuge, Women's Health Loddon Mallee and Centre Against Sexual Assault Central Victoria offered "heartfelt thoughts" and condolences and respect to the children, family and community of the 46-year-old Kangaroo Flat mother.

They also spoke about the 42 other women who have died around Australia this year due to "family and gendered violence".

"It is important that as a community we not only pay our respects to, and reflect on, the lives lost but also focus on what we as a community need to do to help prevent these [kinds of] deaths from occurring and to end family, sexual and all forms of gendered violence in our community," Centre for Non-Violence CEO Margaret Augerinos said.

Earlier in the day, 44-year old Junortoun man James Pualic, a former partner of Ms Osias, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court charged with her murder.

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Meanwhile Estia Health Victoria Heights, where Ms Osias worked, issued a short statement saying the company and nursing home were shocked and saddened to hear of her death.

"Ana was a much loved member of the Estia Health community and will be sadly missed," Chief Operating Officer of Estia Heath Damian Hiser said.

Bendigo Filipino Foundation president Maria Gillies, who knew the devoted mother-of-four, also addressed the vigil, saying her death had come as a shock to the Filipino community.

However, it wasn't the first family violence incident Ms Gillies had been exposed to, having a few years earlier been called on to help a woman escape a violent partner in the middle of the night.

She wanted women, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, to be reassured that it was alright to admit to themselves and others that a relationship had failed and to talk about violence, she said.

Ms Gillies also challenged community leaders to pay attention to the people around them and to whether they might be affected by the issue.

The need to "lift the veil of silence" surrounding family and gendered violence was emphasised by the united front of the four CEOs.

They cited a recent research finding - from the National Community Attitudes towards violence against women survey - that while 91 per cent of respondents agreed violence against women was a problem in Australia, only 47 per cent agreed it was a problem in their own suburb or town.

"People still tend to think it's about bruises and black eyes and broken arms but it's hidden; it's prevalent," Annie North CEO Julie Oberin, AM, said.

At the root of violence against women was inequality, the CEOs agreed.

Calling out sexism, having a "vigilant eye" for controlling, coercive or disrespectful behaviours, and ultimately reducing the power imbalance between women and men was a task for the whole community, they said.

"The prevention of gendered violence is everybody's business, everyone in the community," Women's Heath Loddon Mallee CEO Tricia Currie said.

"That's not a slogan. It's actually a level of accountability".

In particular, according to CASA Central Victoria CEO Kate Wright, there was a need for men "to actually step in ... acknowledge that violence is occurring and that they have a role in creating positive and transformational change to keep women and children and others, including gender-diverse [people], safe".

The CEOs called for women and men to "speak up ... and to reach out for support if experiencing or perpetrating violence".

"Every week we have to deal with another domestic murder," Ms Oberin said. "I think in particular when it's in your own community, there's added grief and loss and concern about the community itself."

In 10 days across Australia five women, including Logee Osias, had been killed as a result of family violence, Kate Wright said.

"It's not acceptable. We are outraged..."

Experts advise if you suspect someone is experiencing family violence to raise the concern with the person, listen respectfully to what they say, if appropriate, help them find a domestic violence support service, and help them to stay safe.

When women are thinking of leaving a relationship is a particularly dangerous time, they say.

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