TRANSCRIPT
Thousands of people rallied across the country over the weekend to demand the strengthening of domestic violence laws.
Organisers say there's still an urgent need for support services, and a pressing challenge to change perpetrator behaviour.
With a flower laid for each of the 56 women and 9 children allegedly killed at the hands of violent men this year, thousands of people gathered across Australia calling for stronger action on domestic violence.
Over the weekend, more than 20 rallies calling for action to end gendered violence were held in every state and territory.
Organisers from youth-led not-for-profit What Were You Wearing, like Taylor Creighton, say they have two main demands for law makers.
"Our two demands for today is trauma informed training for first responders, including the police and paramedics. We just think it's really important for the victims of sexual assault and domestic violence because they don't always present as victims, and in the system right now they're getting re-traumatised by the treatment from police and of paramedics, first responders. Our second demand is more funding for grassroots organisations including men's behaviour change programs. Yeah, we're just not getting enough funding to be able to do any good in the community."
In April, similar protests held by the same youth-led group drew around 100,000 people to the streets, prompting decisive government action.
The rallies led to an emergency national cabinet meeting and the acknowledgement of a crisis, but the death toll continues to rise.
Taylor Creighton says attitudes and complacency towards violent language needs to change.
"We just want to let everyone know that silence is violence. If you're saying quiet when your mates are making sexist, rapists jokes, like it's not okay, you need to call them out. That's where it starts. and it ends in 54 deaths, like we've had 54 deaths so far this year and it's only July and that is ridiculous. And that's not even including all of the sexual assaults, the violence, everything."
In 2023, the death toll of those killed at the hands of violent men reached 64 women.
Men, like these two, say the first thing that needs changing is the attitude of men.
"I'm just sick of hearing about it every day, every week. That a woman's been killed a woman is in hospital because of an angry, violent man he can't control himself." MAN 2:"Yeah, I'd like to second that for me it's just this isn't just a women's issue, and then need to show up, were the ones who are committing those violent horrible acts so it's important for us to show up and show support and show other men it's not okay to do this."
Protester Rose Bradshaw says as a mother, she wants to make sure her daughter grows up knowing that's not okay.
"Given that I have a daughter, sorry I'm getting emotional, and someone is dying every week, I want to raise my daughter to know that's not okay, and to grow up with healthy relationships and know how to respect herself. So it means a lot for me to bring her down and to expose her to this and to be around so many people that are marching for the same thing because I want her to grow up and not and not be a statistic."
Two in five women have experienced gendered violence since the age of 15, and 53 per cent of women will experience sexual harassment in their lifetime.
An estimated 97 per cent of these cases go unreported.
Organisers say current laws are failing to protect victims, and say that those most impacted by violence are women, LGBTQI community, disabled, and Indigenous people.Taylor Creighton and fellow organisers Amelia Grace Wilson-Williams say one of the big problems is a lack of funding.
CREIGHTON: "People aren't able to get the support they need or they are getting the support and it's ending too soon. So we really just need more funding in there to be able to have more wraparound care for victims." WILSON-WILLIAMS: "For example, community legal centres are quite underfunded as well. So they're essential services that are able to assist women who have escaped domestic violence or are attempting to and getting like restraining orders against abusive partners. And those community services are essential to ensuring community safety. And in this past budget, there was not enough money given towards the community sector."
Since the rallies earlier this year, the federal government has announced new funding for consent and respectful relationships education in Australian schools.But some say they're still not dealing with the problem urgently enough.
"I don't think it's good enough. Like not much is really happening, like one man got killed from a king hit and the whole laws changed, where's the justice for women?'
Others say the problem is simply out of control.
"It's just appalling the amount of people, the amount of women that are affected with domestic violence, it's got out of control, we need to do something about it."
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic, family and sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
