Simone O’Brien is a domestic violence survivor on a mission to ensure Australian families do not have to endure what she did.
Simone’s journey started in 2012 when she suffered a horrific attack that stemmed from emotional and psychological abuse and ended with her being beaten with a baseball bat within an inch of her life. Her young daughters had to alert their neighbours to save her. The man that beat Simone was her partner.
Before the attack, Simone said she was oblivious to the domestic violence occurring and the red flags associated with it. Though Simone will battle with the injuries she sustained for the rest of her life, she’s become a speaker and RizeUp advocate – working to ensure Australians can spot the signs before it’s too late.
“This issue does not just include adult couples – children, family and friends are severely affected by the trauma of a violent relationship, as my loved ones have been. We cannot continue to lose mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, daughters, or sons at the hand of these perpetrators,” says Simone.
Domestic violence support charity, RizeUp saw calls for help increase by 20 per cent in the first few months of the pandemic – with home isolation and financial insecurity inflating the surge. Already an epidemic before COVID-19 hit, many families are now at a heightened risk of being in more vulnerable situations.
Simone says it is Aussie businesses like 9Round that support RizeUp to draw attention to this horrific issue with a goal of raising $10,000 towards the cause – and they need your help.
RizeUp CEO Nicolle Edwards said, “The pandemic has placed vulnerable families at higher risk of domestic and family violence, meaning more Australians face the threat of being isolated in the home with a violent partner or family member. People are facing so much stress and change; from job loss, financial insecurity, increased alcohol consumption and health concerns, all drivers to violence and abuse.”
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