Hundreds of Sydneysiders have marched to Coogee Beach to help bring an end to violence against women, in a year marked by a spike in domestic-related deaths in NSW.
Coogee Bay Road was a sea of white on Friday morning as police, politicians and sports stars joined hundreds of locals in a walk to the coast for White Ribbon Day.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told the crowd it was now more important than ever to take a stand against violence against women.
"This time last year when we last marched there had been 23 homicides in NSW alone that had domestic violence as an associated factor, unfortunately this year there have been 32 - that number has grown," Mr Scipione said.
The police chief said he had been visited by a 14-year-old girl who had lost her mother to suicide after years of domestic abuse. He said the teenager had spent many years believing the violence that marred her home life was normal.
"That young girl said the last time she spoke to her mum was very early one morning when she woke her up and said, 'I'm sorry you've had to go through this for so many years', and (the girl) thought nothing more of it and went back to sleep," Mr Scipione said.
"Within a short time her mum took her life ... she didn't want to put her family through this any longer."
Former Australian of the Year and ex-Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes said men needed to stand up and take responsibility for preventing domestic violence.
"To see so many young men in this crowd, we know that we're starting to influence their mind," Mr Goodes told AAP.
"So hopefully that generation, when they come through, they don't see it as men's culture where it's okay to hit women - because it's definitely not."
NSW Governor David Hurley, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Pru Goward and NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley joined the annual event, which calls on marchers to pledge to "stand up, speak out and act to prevent men's violence against women".
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
