Violence against women rallies: thousands attend protests as Mark Dreyfus rules out royal commission
Thousands of people have rallied in Sydney calling for an end to violence against women amid growing anger at the number of those being killed in violent attacks across the country.
No More: National rallies against gender based violence were held in Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide on Saturday, with more due to be held across the country on Sunday, calling for greater action, including calls for a royal commission, to address the epidemic of women killed in violent attacks.
It comes as the federal attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, rejected the idea of holding a royal commission into domestic violence, saying that it should be dealt with via cooperation between the federal government working with state and territory governments.
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“I think we’ve actually identified a whole range of actions already that need to be taken, and I think what we probably can say is that we need to be working harder on the kinds of actions that have already been identified,” he said.
“And I think what we probably can say is that we need to be working harder on the kinds of actions that have already been identified.”
The Sydney crowd chanted and sang as they marched from Belmore Park to Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD, before speakers demanded policy and cultural change to address the violence.
Organised by advocacy group What Were You Wearing (WWYW), the rally was attended by people young and old, many holding signs calling for an end to violence, and greater accountability.
Twenty-six women have been violently killed in the first 114 days of the year, according to data compiled by advocacy group Destroy the Joint’s project Counting Dead Women.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is due to attend the rally in Canberra, with the minister for women, Katy Gallagher.
In a statement posted to X, Albanese said a woman had been killed every four days so far this year.
Protesters said they were “horrified” and “outraged” by the growing violence, with figures from the Destroy the Joint’s Counting Dead Women and Femicide Watch’s Red Heart Campaign showing that an average of one woman is murdered in domestic violence incidents every four days across the country. Last year, that figure was one woman a week.
“I’m here today because I am horrified at the continued number of deaths and serious assaults against women in this country,” said Siobhan Ferguson, one of the protesters at the rally on Saturday.
“Not enough is being done, in my opinion, to change people’s mindset and to change legislation.”
But Ferguson said she felt heartened by the turnout, that stretched through the city and closed multiple major streets.
“I get the sense there are a broad range of feelings but I’d say people are disappointed and angry, predominantly, and wanting action.”
“They want to see things moving, they’re trying to raise awareness,” she said.
The writer Emmy Hee said she had attended because she was “incensed” by the violence women have been facing.
“We’re just incensed by the loss of life, and by the beautiful women who’ve had their lives cut short, and if ever there was a time to come together, it’s now.”
She added: “I think we can build from here, I can feel the momentum.”
Hee said she did not feel it was just anger that defined the rally, but a sense of grief and solidarity.
“We feel angry but we also feel the pain. And we want to see cultural change, not just empty words. We need action on every level.”
The business owner Helen Cooper said she was attending to support the women affected by domestic violence across the country.
“Solidarity is an important part of today, we aren’t just hear to march, we are here to be together in this time.
“We have definitely seen a spike in violence against women this year, we can all feel it, and not enough is being done.”
Cooper said the turnout made her feel “supported” and hoped all the attenders felt similarly.
“Especially for the people attending alone like me, this makes me feel like I am not alone, like I am supported by everyone here.
“Things are changing, but slowly,” she added.
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Speaking at a press conference in Ipswich, Queensland on Saturday morning, Dreyfus added that the rallies organised over the weekend reflected the huge level of community distress about the number of women who are dying in violent incidents.
“We have in this country an epidemic of male violence and we all need to step up. We need to do more about it. What these rallies are about are reflecting that level of community distress.
“I’m going to keep saying it: men need to step up. Men need to talk to their sons, to their brothers, to their colleagues at work and try to work together. It cannot be left to women to do something about this,” he said.
Here are where the rallies will take place on Sunday:
Melbourne: State Library at 10am
Perth: Parliament House at 1pm
Brisbane: King George Square at 11am
Canberra: Commonwealth Park at 2pm
Bendigo: Rosalind Park at 11am
Geelong: Market Square Mall at 11am
Coffs Harbour: Jetty foreshore at 11am
Sunshine Coast: Foundation Park at 11am
Gold Coast: Broadwater Parklands at 11am
Orange: Robertson Park at 2.30pm
Cobram: Federation Park at 11am
Wagga Wagga: Victory Memorial Gardens at 11am
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
