Carolyn Brothers takes on fifth Runners Against Violence Challenge

STARTING CONVERSATIONS: Local PDHPE teacher and RAV participant Carolyn Brothers. Photo: CONTRIBUTED.

Carolyn Brothers, a local PDHPE teacher, will be tackling 1300 kilometres on foot over 19 days for her fifth year partaking in the annual Runners Against Violence (RAV) challenge.

This year, the same as last, the annual nationwide fundraising movement to raise awareness around family violence will be virtual.

"I've participated each year since it began in 2017. I started as a single individual and just signed up as someone wanting to be allocated to a random team," Mrs Brothers said.

"I want the people of our community to be bold and stand up and say that all people deserve to grow up in a household that is free from violence.

"That all people in intimate relationships can voice their opinions, make choices for themselves and be equal and respected by their partner. I want the students in my school and classroom to know that I am passionate about this issue and that with combined action and advocacy, we can bring light to an issue that for a long time wasn't spoken about."

Mrs Brothers will enter her team Brothers and Friends along with three other Dubbo team entries including 20SoreLegs by Sam Courts, Kellie Reeves Dubbo Vixens and Tods and Terry Lyons Dubbo Vixens and Tods Two.

"Last year I created my first team with a few friends from Dubbo and my family further afield NSW," Mrs Brothers said.

"It was a team effort and I would often call my sisters when walking, while they were doing their kilometres in Sydney. It was encouraging to see our teams' kilometres climbing each day."

Mrs Brothers said last year her team was 35km short of the total on the final day. Between one of her friends in Dubbo, her dad and sisters they were all walking and running into the night.

"As a PDHPE teacher at a local high school, I am often in a position in class where I am teaching about violence and forms of abuse. Knowing the statistics on the rates of domestic and family violence, I knew this meant there could be up to four or five students sitting in front of me living with this violence every day," she said.

"Over the years RAV has been going, the media has taken a greater interest in shining a light on this issue and in the current climate, with consent and sexual violence against women being in the spotlight, there is no better time to get involved.

"Working alongside NSW Health with the LOVEBITES Program in my school over the years, I was so excited to hear that RAV had partnered with them in making this program more available to students in schools."

Mrs Brothers said she hoped to have important conversations with people she met along the way while doing the challenge and therefore aid in raising awareness around the 'average Joe Blow' that domestic family violence (DFV) is never okay.

"I hope by wearing my RAV shirt and being out in the community, women, men and children currently in situations of DFV will know that I see them," she said.

"I am planning on entering a team of 10 people. This equates to approximately six to seven kilometres a day over the 19-day virtual event. I have an older, but energetic kelpie that usually does most of the kilometres with me.

"The Dubbo members of my team and I usually meet up once a week to walk or run together, usually around the river here in Dubbo or at parkrun. When competing in the event I often challenge myself to listen to podcasts related to the issue. It can be hard going some days listening to the stories of abuse survivors. I have always believed that knowledge is power, the education we have about an important issue, and the ways each person can make choices that support a community free of violence in the home makes a difference."

Mrs Brothers said it is good to see many people in Dubbo who enter the challenge.

"I would love to see the number of participants grow. It is a great way friends or workplaces can support a valuable cause and exercise at the same time," she said.

"I like to think of it as a community of people coming together to rise to the challenge. We all know the saying 'it takes a village to raise a child'.

"It also takes a village or committed community to advocate for those in need. A person fleeing from domestic violence needs a community of supporters to help them recover and get back on their feet."