Gendered violence
Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (10:08): On the weekend I joined with the Geelong community and the Zonta Club in launching their 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. While it has been heartening to see so many people turn out for these events, I cannot help but think: how many more times do we have to go out and march? Just last week Isla Bell was the 85th Australian woman to be murdered by a man this year – 85 that we know of. There are countless others who are violently assaulted and injured, who live in fear, who lose families, friends, homes and jobs. As a GP I saw these women, sometimes with horrific, unspeakable injuries, many more with hidden invisible injuries and untold stories. Each time there is some horrific event it captures the public attention and we think, ‘Perhaps this is the moment where it all changes, where things finally begin to shift.’ Yet they do not. While gender-based violence is pervasive and complex, there are clear steps that governments can take to make a difference. We need a huge increase in genuinely public housing. We need affordable health care and child care. We need to substantially lift the rate of welfare payments. We need to fund community legal centres and family violence support services. We need to fund perpetrator support services, stop taking donations from big alcohol and tobacco and tackle these drivers of violence. Eighty-five women this year, and we know that before 2024 ends there will be more. This Parliament must do more.