Marcus Paul.
THE Costigan family are survivors. Courageous in the face of grief and tragedy, and are now looking to put the final pieces together to ensure a young mother’s legacy is upheld in a united and loving affront to the scourge of violence which saw a beautiful woman taken far too soon.
This comes amid a falling out (of sorts) between the father of the boys left behind and the Costigans themselves. It would appear this estrangement was the result of a longer term issue following the breakdown of an earlier relationship. Both parties are now looking to a much brighter future and are hopeful of reconciling and talking through issues along the line of the Costigan Foundation’s motto “Together We Are Strong”
There were concerns over the distribution of funds raised by the Canberra community, and how they were to be disbursed among the children (baby Ayla is now almost six months old).
This issue is now being rectified, with all parties coming together to work out how best to ensure their current and future needs are met.
It needs to be remembered here that ALL of the family are victims – Tara, the children, their extended family and closest friends. They are victims of an horrendous crime, and the awful scourge of domestic and family violence. It’s both saddening and sickening to realise they won’t be the last family to endure this either.
Our community is starting to comprehend the scope of these kinds of incidents – slowly.
It will take some time to turn the horrific statistics around, and for everyone to fully call it out for what it is; shameful.
Recent reports say family violence is embedded in our society, and is at shockingly high levels in all areas of the community with police and support services struggling to cope with demand. A recent Royal Commission acknowledged that many thousands have suffered physical, emotional or financial abuse at the hands of a family member.
“This includes the women and men and boys and girls who have died as the result of family violence,” according to commissioner Marcia Neave.
“We hope the commission will mark a moment in time when the whole community committed itself to overcoming this vile social ill.” She said.
Sickeningly, the commission heard one in six Australian women had been subjected to partner violence since the age of 15. For men the ratio is one in 20.
In extreme cases the violence results in death – of women like Tara Costigan.
The commission was told one study found each year in Australia there are on average 115 family violence related deaths.
It’s time to stop it. Now. And if a Canberra family can come together amid their own grief and horror, then we should all unite to put an end to it.
Marcus Paul is the host of “Canberra Live”, 3pm-6pm, weekdays on 2CC
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