Advocates demand violence against women be declared 'national emergency'

Hundreds have gathered at Parliament Lawns in Hobart for a “stand still” rally while other rallies took place in Sydney and Adelaide.  (ABC News: Adam Langenberg)

Advocacy groups are demanding the government declare violence against women a national emergency after three women were allegedly killed by men known to them this week.

Yesterday, West Australian police said they believed a 30-year-old woman, whose body was found in the bedroom of home after a fire, might have been murdered.

Earlier this week, two other women, 49-year-old Emma Bates in regional Victoria and 28-year-old Molly Ticehurst in regional New South Wales, were both allegedly killed by men police believe were known to them.

The events have fuelled anger across the nation, where 25 women have died this year due to gender-based violence, according to data interpreted from Counting Dead Women.

Eleven more women have died violently in 2024 compared to this time last year.

Today, rallies against gender-based violence are taking place in Hobart, Sydney and Adelaide, and tomorrow there will be rallies in Melbourne, Bendigo, Geelong, Coffs Harbour, Perth, Brisbane, Sunshine

Sarah Williams, from advocacy group What Were You Wearing Australia, is one of the organisers. She said more action was urgently needed.

“Australia is definitely in a time of a national emergency with men’s violence,” she said.

“Just simply not being enough done and it’s really devastating that it’s three years on and we’re probably in a worse situation than we were in 2021.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will walk in the march in Canberra tomorrow.

In a statement posted to X, Mr Albanese said a woman had been killed every four days so far this year.

“Violence against women is an epidemic,” he said.

“Governments need to do better and as a society we need to do better.”

He wrote that violence against women was not a problem that women should have to solve.

“We know there is so much more to do. And we will keep working.”

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus told media this morning the rallies reflected the current distress in the community.

“About the number of women who are dying, who are being murdered at the hands of those who profess to love them,” he said.

Mr Dreyfus discussed measures the government had put in place to address men’s violence, such as a national plan and reviewing coercive control laws.

But, he said: “We’ve got to do even more than we have been doing.”

‘All women should be safe’

In Hobart, hundreds gathered at Parliament Lawns for a “stand still” rally.

Victim survivor, Luisa Mejia, addressed attendees, speaking about the importance of education.

“By education, I don’t mean telling someone do not kill women, do not be violent,” she said.

“By education, I mean education itself about the power dynamics of abusive relationships, about the intersectionality of this issue, how someone’s race, someone’s religion, someone’s background, socio-economic status, how that affects them and makes them more vulnerable

“All women should be free and safe. That of course includes women of colour, women with disabilities, trans women, sex workers, elder women, migrant women, all women.”

She called on governments to recognise the seriousness of the issue and act immediately.

“We know the numbers, we’re just not doing anything with them.”

In Adelaide, protesters spoke of the importance of men attending today’s rally.

Colin Codlin and his wife attended the event. He said he hoped the nationwide protests would shift attitudes about violence against women.

“It has just got worse and worse unfortunately and we need change, and hopefully rallies like this around the country can bring a voice to people that need it,” he said.

Another attendee, Louis Pitt, agreed with Mr Codlin’s sentiment.

“It’s really important that men come out and support these rallies as well and stand up in their communities, talk to their friends, make sure to call out things as they happen,” he said.

Speaking at the event, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for Mr Albanese to declare violence against women an “urgent national emergency”.

“This is an epidemic that requires the full resources of government at all levels across all departments,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“We need everything we can get our hands on to stop this scourge and this epidemic.”