Six years after a small group of Ballina locals launched the first Purple Friday walk against domestic violence, frontline workers are warning the crisis is worsening — even as the movement born here begins spreading across NSW.

A Northern Rivers domestic violence support service funded to help 359 women a year has already supported 579 women by the end of April, as frontline workers warn Ballina and surrounding communities are facing an escalating crisis.

The confronting figures were revealed at Cherry Street Sports Club yesterday during the statewide launch of the Purple Friday anti-domestic violence campaign — a movement that began in Ballina and has now spread to more than 200 registered clubs across New South Wales.

Women’s Resource Service program manager Amber Johnson told the audience referrals for domestic and family violence support had surged dramatically since 2022, with services now overwhelmed by demand.

“We have seen an exponential increase in referrals,” she said, warning the increase had become “the new normal” rather than a temporary spike.

Ms Johnson said women fleeing violence were increasingly being trapped by housing shortages, communication breakdowns between agencies and a lack of safe emergency accommodation.

She also revealed many women seeking help were still being left with responsibility for abusive partners struggling with mental health issues, even while trying to escape violence themselves.

The stark realities provided a sobering backdrop to an event that was also filled with hope, courage and evidence that community-driven change can work.

Amber Johnson

What started in Ballina now reaching across NSW

Yesterday marked the first coordinated statewide Purple Friday rollout through ClubsNSW, with clubs across metropolitan Sydney, regional centres and rural NSW taking part.

Locally, venues including Ballina RSL Club, Ballina Golf and Sports Club and clubs across the Northern Rivers joined the campaign by wearing purple and promoting domestic violence awareness.

But the emotional centre of the movement remained at Cherry Street Sports Club — fittingly, the venue where the campaign first gained momentum through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond.

The crowd assembled for the Cherry Street Morning Te event, with special guests including Clubs NSW Chair Sallianne Faulkner

Cherry Street Sports Group general manager Tere Sheehan said seeing the movement spread statewide had once seemed little more than a dream.

“It was always a pipe dream of ours to start this Purple Friday and get it extended through the club industry,” he told Ballina News Daily afterwards.

“To have the chairperson of ClubsNSW in our venue yesterday was testament to me that we’ve done the right thing.”

Mr Sheehan paid tribute to Purple Friday founders Dave Harmon and Robii Harmon, along with Cherry Street marketing manager Jackie Hinrichsen, who MC’d yesterday’s launch and helped shape the campaign locally.

Survivor stories leave room silent

While the campaign has become increasingly visible through thousands of purple shirts worn across NSW, yesterday’s most powerful moments came through deeply personal stories.

Ballina-on-Richmond Rotarian and Love Bites facilitator Debbie Pawsey publicly shared her own experience as a survivor of domestic violence for the first time.

She described years of coercion, fear and isolation before eventually rebuilding her life through support, healing and community connection.

“I am not a victim. I am a survivor,” she told the audience.

Ms Pawsey now helps mentor young people through Rotary’s Love Bites respectful relationships program at Ballina Coast High School — part of a broader prevention strategy aimed at changing attitudes before violence begins.

“Schools are seeing better behaviour, less conflict and more respect,” she said.

Debbie Pawsey

‘This is the first day of your new life’

But perhaps the most unforgettable story came from Stacey Jane, founder of Escabags.

Originally from England, Stacey revealed she survived years of abuse before being violently attacked by her partner while on a cruise ship near New Zealand.

The following morning, an Australian family she barely knew knocked on her cabin door carrying breakfast — and an offer that changed everything.

Stacey Jane is presented with a cheque to support the Escabags charity by cherry Street Croquet Club members David Scott and Robyn Poynting

Escabags – now available to support people escaping domestic violence at Cherry Street clubs and venues around the country

“They said to me, ‘This is the first day of your new life — and you’re coming home with us,’” she recalled.

Stacey later moved to Australia, where her experiences eventually inspired her to create Escabags — emergency bags filled with essential items for women and children escaping domestic violence.

Today the organisation has distributed almost 28,000 bags nationwide through nearly 3000 stockists, including registered clubs around Australia.

“That one ripple effect, that one random act of kindness, helped me and is now continuing to help people,” she said.

Men challenged to ‘call it out’

One of the strongest messages of the morning came from Ballina Deputy Mayor Damian Loone — the sole male speaker in the line-up — who urged men to take greater responsibility in challenging abusive behaviour.

Mr Loone, well known nationally for his role as the lead detective whose dogged investigation eventually helped convict former teacher and wife-killer Chris Dawson in the high-profile Teacher’s Pet case, told the audience communities could no longer leave the issue solely to police and support agencies.

“It’s amongst men also calling out those who we believe are offenders and saying it’s not good, it’s not on,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Damian Loone

“And if you call in the mate and they keep doing what they’re doing — they don’t make a line.”

Drawing on the title of the Ben Lee song Catch My Disease, Mr Loone then delivered a line that became one of the most talked-about moments of the event.

“If Purple Friday was a disease,” he said, “I want everyone to catch it — and there’s no vaccination for it.”

The remark clearly resonated with the audience — and later with Mr Sheehan.

Speaking to Ballina News Daily afterwards, Mr Sheehan laughed that he planned to “steal” the line because it perfectly captured what organisers hoped the movement could become.

“That really resonated to what we’re trying to achieve here,” he said.

“Purple Friday is a disease — and let’s make sure there’s never ever a vaccine for it. Let it keep spreading throughout the world.”

Changing attitudes before violence starts

Mr Sheehan said the movement’s biggest success may ultimately be its work with young people through the Love Bites program.

“It’s about prevention,” he said.

“We need to teach respectful relationships in schools so future generations see it as normal.”

He said Purple Friday was only “one piece of the puzzle”, but an important one because it made conversations visible and normal within everyday community spaces.

In a world where many social problems can feel overwhelming, yesterday’s event carried a rare sense of optimism — proof that community groups, schools, clubs, police and support organisations working together can actually shift attitudes and save lives.