The media has been inundated with opinion pieces, political commentary, editorials, and crime reports, each offering perspectives on the gender-based violence epidemic that plagues our nation. To grasp the urgency of this issue, one need only read a few of these articles. However, it is challenging to fully comprehend the scope of the problem, as many cases go unheard and unnoticed. This is a struggle women have been enduring for decades, dating back to the 1970s with the emergence of women’s refuges as part of the domestic violence movement, and even earlier in the 20th century when protests against violence against women were strategically conducted to minimise backlash and further brutality.
How can we avoid being alone?
Is what I am wearing going to get me into trouble?
Is it too dark to go on a run?
Do I have to run home from the bus stop?
Is my Uber driver safe?
Which carriage of the train do I get on?
Will it help if I pretend to be on a phone call or in a rush?
All this, and women are still not safe, even within their own homes. Fearing of the men on the outside and in. Violence against women is a pervasive generational epidemic, deeply embedded in society.
This behaviour is driven by pure fear. Constantly resorting to great lengths to avoid being deprecated, objectified and degraded.
Every 4 days, a woman in Australia is brutally killed from domestic violence. In this year alone, there have been 38 deaths due to male violence. Last year, the government set out to reduce the number of women killed in Australia by their partners, pledging to decrease the statistic by 25%. However, this has been far from successful, with deaths instead increasing by 30% in 2023.
34 women were brutally killed in 2022-23 by a current or previous partner – 8 more than 2021-22.
Additionally, girls who experience physical or sexual abuse before the age of 15 are far more likely to experience partner violence after the age of 15. Those are girls only in Year 9 of school, already existing in fear of men, of what they could do.
There is no doubt that the standing of women in Australian society has vastly improved throughout the decades, however the statistics do not lie. Women continue to be afraid to leave their own homes or even stay in them for that matter.
So, why are politicians still fretting over and investing billions of dollars into building needless military submarines, when in Australia 1 in 4 girls are likely to be sexually assaulted after the age of 15?
Our judicial system is supposedly designed to protect civilians, designed to protect women, and yet, perpetrators are repeatedly released, free to roam the streets “on bail,” continuing to threaten, induce anxiety and fear in women on a daily basis. If you haven’t been following the news or heard the uproar, the recent murder of mother, Molly Ticehurst, has fuelled a riot to say the least. Ticehurst was killed mid-April by her former boyfriend, who only last month was set free on bail following charges of allegedly sexually assaulting and stalking Ticehurst. A few weeks before, he had brutally abused and killed her 12-week-old puppy. Unfortunately, this is not the only case of domestic violence that has dominated our headlines. Think back to October last year when water polo coach Lilie James was found dead in Sydney’s St Andrew’s Cathedral School. Only 24 years old, brutally murdered by a man whom she had been briefly involved with, who then went on to take his own life as well.
This issue is far deeper than statistics- there are names, faces, lives, and stories that have been mercilessly cut short. Families left behind. Women left in fear.
This isn’t solely women’s burden to bear. Countless women feel marginalised, drained from repeatedly voicing their concerns, sharing their narratives, and enduring prolonged struggles, while the statistics continue to escalate. This is a cause that demands the attention, advocacy, and empathy from every individual. It is only through collective action that we can instigate tangible, enduring transformations. Women shouldn’t be solely responsible for rectifying a problem in which they predominantly suffer as victims.
This is an endemic issue that will not be solved through cyclical fad like interest driven by recent deaths and tragic stories. While recent spikes in fatalities and cases have generated discussions, it is clear that many men often fail to empathise with women or attempt to comprehend their perspectives, thus limiting themselves to grasp of the true urgency and gravity of this matter. By resorting to “not all men” claims or arguments, individuals contribute to the issue. So, if you consider yourself one of the honourable men, take action. Take significant action. Merely abstaining from not doing the harm, just “not killing” is no longer sufficient.
This is a crisis. One that has the potential to be unravelled and resolved, yet the matter remains just as prevalent. Australia has demonstrated that we have the resources but we continue to fail women by being reactive and not proactive, only responding on an appropriate scale when it is topical or trendy. Crises demand rapid and significant response.
Just last week, the NSW Police Force conducted a four-day blitz operation targeting domestic violence offenders, resulting in the arrest of 550 individuals across the state. Clearly, the state possesses the resources and capability to combat this epidemic, yet has been neglectful until now. Addressing this national crisis requires more than just the efforts of women and the Police. While immediate and primary resources are crucial, prevention must be a priority in this movement. This begins with meaningful conversations, confronting gender issues, and educating oneself on genuine and respectful consent, relationship dynamics, violence prevention, and the faults inherent within our judicial system.
Men possess the potential to make a far more significant impact than they often realise. They have the opportunity to confront sexism and misogyny whenever they encounter it. Every choice to act positively towards women—whether by challenging stereotypes, calling out inappropriate and degrading behaviour, supporting women’s sports, or fostering an environment where women feel valued and genuinely respected—holds the power to inspire, stimulate, and encourage a society where women feel safe and comfortable every day, whilst also empowering other men to be positive role models. Everyone is responsible for the culture and society we want to live in.
If you do nothing, you are simply excusing the behaviour. Lieutenant General David Lindsay Morrison, former senior officer of the Australian Army said it best when confronting misogynistic behaviour in the army:
“The standard we walk past, is the standard we accept.”