I Run For Her on again in Hunter to highlight domestic vilolence

I Run For Her (IRFH), an annual event hosted by Got Your Back Sista, will take place across the region on Sunday October 15.

Founder Mel Histon said IRFH had doubled each year since it began four years ago.

"It really heartening because the whole premise of the event is about bringing the community together," Ms Histon said. "People are taking to the streets in our 'Say No to Domestic Violence' shirts to say 'it's not ok - it has to end'," she said.

Participants can walk or run any distance, anywhere they like on the day but designated kick-off points include Empire Park in Newcastle, the Warners Bay foreshore, Simpson Park in Muswellbrook and Hope UC Church in Maitland.

The Empire Park location will include a free community barbeque from 8.30am.

And for the first time, IRFH is going national. Events will be held in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, along with the usual Hunter runs.

"We really hope that people who have experienced domestic abuse or are still in an abusive relationship to [see] dozens of people wearing our shirts and walking," Ms Histon said. "I hope they understand what they are experiencing is not normal and not OK.

"There are people who participate who probably would never have been involved in a campaign of advocacy before. This is a really easy way for people to get involved and to stand for something that is important."

For Tabitha Acret, whose daughter Mackenzie Anderson was killed in an alleged domestic violence stabbing in Mayfield last year, the event is an important time to raise proactive awareness.

"The I Run For Her campaign is a good way to show we don't want to just talk about domestic violence when there is a death," Ms Acret said. "We need to be having discussion on prevention."

The "proud feminist" wanted the community to "be looking at ways we can help women leave a relationship before they are murdered". "One of the biggest issues about domestic violence is the shame attached to it," Ms Acret said. "Therefore, a lot of people don't speak up when they're in a situation or don't tell people.

"By having more events like this, it means hopefully it lets more people realise there is no shame for a victim. The only person that should feel shame is the perpetrator."

Ms Acret is walking with a group of friends and family for her daughter. She hoped others would see it as a sign of strength.

"It is scary," she said. "We know my daughter had left her ex-partner and that is the most dangerous time for experiencing domestic violence. A lot of people at home are aware of that so we need to provide more support during that time.

"It is important that we don't forget the people who have been murdered: that they don't just become a statistic. For the family and the friends of these people, this is a lifetime struggle we are going to deal with.

"We have children that are going to grow up without parents."