Dresses of Sorrow: the silent stories of violence against women 

The following content may be distressing for people who have experienced family, domestic or sexual violence or their families and friends.

Prior to the Summit becoming an online-only event, an exhibition displaying the Dresses of Sorrow was to be held at Parliament House, Canberra.

Each of the Dresses of Sorrow commemorates a woman killed as a result of domestic violence since 2016. There are now 150 garments in the Dresses of Sorrow collection.

The Dresses of Sorrow initiative was started in 2016 by representatives from numerous domestic violence and women's organisations in the Hunter Region, including Nova for Women and Children and the Warlga Ngurra Refuge for Women and Children.

In May 2021, a contingent of frontline workers, researchers and advocates travelled to Canberra to present the dresses to Members of Parliament at Parliament House, Canberra.

View a small sample of the Dresses of Sorrow here 

If the content on this page raises any issues for you, you can contact the following services:

·        1800RESPECT – by phone on 1800 737 732 or online at www.1800respect.org.au

·        Lifeline – by phone on 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au  

·        Mensline – by phone on 1300 78 99 78 or online at mensline.org.au

·        QLife – by phone on 1800 184 527 (only 3pm–midnight) or online at qlife.org.au