THE Rosie and Luke Batty story was launched yesterday in Melbourne and Australians will again be forced to confront the reality of family violence.
Rosie Batty: A Mother’s Story tells the harrowing story of the events of Wednesday 12 February 2014 at Tyabb Central Recreation Reserve and the 18 months since.
Peninsula resident Ms Batty rose to unwanted prominence following the killing of her son Luke by his father at cricket practice in Tyabb on that day. Greg Anderson was shot dead by one of four police officers from Mornington police station soon after when he confronted them with a knife. He had earlier threatened ambulance officers.
Ms Batty rose above her personal grief and has become the public face of a campaign against family violence in Australia. She was named 2015 Australian of the Year and has used the position to galvanise public opinion behind a call for more to be done to combat a rising tide of family conflict.
Ms Batty will hold a book signing in Mornington early next month. It has been sold out for more than three weeks.
The signing has been organised by Peninsula Voice, a relatively new alliance of peninsula churches and community support groups tackling family violence and other damaging social issues such as drug and alcohol abuse.
Ms Batty was a keynote speaker at the group’s family violence forum in Mornington’s Peninsula Community Theatre last September. The book signing is also in the 400-seat theatre and Ms Batty will be interviewed by Melbourne radio presenter Jon Faine.
Peter Orton of Peninsula Voice said “Rosie has become an outspoken crusader against family violence, winning hearts and minds with her compassion, courage, grace and forgiveness”.
Rosie Batty: A Mother’s Story (Harper Collins, $32.99) was launched in Carlton on Monday.
Ms Batty is attending events at the RACV Club, Deakin University, Bendigo Town Hall, National Library of Australia in Canberra, in Perth and Sydney before she returns to the peninsula for the 8 October event at Mornington.
