Wednesday, 27 November 2024

Members statements

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence

Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Jobs and Industry, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Women) (10:06): This week is part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, which runs until world Human Rights Day on 10 December. Violence against women and girls is one of the most persistent violations of human rights. So far this year the Counting Dead Women researchers of the Destroy the Joint project have shown that 66 women have been killed by violence in Australia. Three-quarters of those women were killed by someone they know. This could be a current or a former partner, a friend, a colleague or a member of their family. We deserve an Australia where women’s lives count, not where we count women’s deaths, but violence, most often from men, is cutting women’s lives short.

I would like to share my condolences to the families and friends of Isla Bell, whose murder has broken the hearts of Victorians. This absolutely needs to stop. Every time we read about women that have been murdered, we are still in shock, and it reinforces that women are not safe.

Thank you to Destroy the Joint for their advocacy and to the amazing organisations who support women across our state that are experiencing family violence, in particular Victoria Police, Orange Door, inTouch, Safe and Equal, GenWest, 1800RESPECT, Safe Steps, Ask Izzy, Anglicare Victoria and the Salvation Army.