Violence against women
Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (10:33): We have all been confronted by recent scenes of vicious acts of violence in Bondi. Many of the victims were women, killed at the hands of a man. Violence against women takes many forms, and it is a pervasive stain on our society. Last Friday hundreds marched through the streets of Ballarat calling for action on violence against women. In recent weeks this region has been the site of multiple deaths: Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire. With every name there is a story. Hannah McGuire was just 23. She worked as a teacher’s aide and studied education. She liked to play netball, go to the gym and travel.
But for every story that we do know there are thousands that we do not, particularly for First Nations women and for those with disability. These women live day in and day out often facing violence at the hands of those who are meant to love them. The feeling of helplessness in the face of this kind of violence can be overwhelming. But violence against women is preventable. With greater investment in support services, prevention and early intervention, we can do this.