As Australia confronts a growing crisis of violence against women, Sydney fathers are taking action.
Peter Georgiou, a real estate agent from Rushcutters Bay and father of four-year-old twins Leila and Lola, believes change begins at home, according to The Daily Telegraph. For him, that means modeling healthy relationships and teaching his daughters the importance of boundaries, consent, and mutual respect.
“You see some horrible things on the news,” he told The Daily Telegraph.
“But I try to set that example, respect their mum and show them what a good relationship looks like. I don’t want them to tolerate anything less than that.”
Even in everyday moments, Georgiou is mindful of how he interacts with his daughters.
“If we are wrestling and they say ‘no’ or ‘stop’, I make sure to stop and not rile them up,” he explains. “I instil in them that no means no and show them that they are validated and listened to. I want them to know that their word matters.”
But Georgiou isn’t just thinking about his own family—he believes the responsibility to create safer futures lies with society at large, especially when it comes to raising boys.
“They need to have role models, people they can talk to if they aren’t sure, and someone who can explain things in a way they understand,” he says.
By practicing what he preaches at home, Georgiou hopes his daughters—and their generation—grow up knowing they deserve respect, and that the world around them is working to ensure it.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
