I Run for Her, hosted by family violence charity Got Your Back Sista, had more than 700 people register in Newcastle for the fourth-annual event, which aims to highlight the "national shame" of Australia's abuse rates.

"Let's talk about it, Australia," Got Your Back Sista Founder, Melissa Histon said. "Let's take a close look at the prevalence of family and domestic violence and ask why in 2023 this is still happening. Let's take practical steps to make our communities a safer place. Let's encourage people who need help to access available services."

Organisers point to statistics showing domestic violence rates are not decreasing, including data that one in three women experienced physical violence and one woman every nine days is killed by a current or former partner.

While there were free community BBQs in Empire Park, Warners Bay Foreshore, Simpson Park at Muswellbrook and Maitland Park, the event aims to be flexible and inclusive and give participants the freedom to set their own location, start time, distance and duration for their walk.

As well as the hundreds walking in Newcastle, event partners hosted five kilometre walks or runs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Sunday.