Anthony Albanese’s new measures to help combat violence against women have been branded “shameful” for ignoring the realities women face when fleeing abusive relationships.
The Prime Minister has set aside $925 million over the next five years to help women leaving violent relationships as part of a wide-ranging plan to tackle the crisis, in which a woman is killed in Australia every four days by her partner. .
Under the plan, women at risk will be eligible for a $5,000 grant.
Speaking immediately after a National Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Albanese also announced a plan to “introduce legislation to ban the creation and distribution of deeply fake pornography” in order to combat “toxic male views online.”
‘Violence against women is not a women’s problem that we should solve. It is a problem that the entire society must solve. Men in particular have to take responsibility,” she stated.
Dr Jess Ison, a researcher at the La Trobe School of Rural Health, told Daily Mail Australia that while e-safety and education for young people is crucial for long-term prevention, she questioned the move, calling it a “band-aid solution to a complex problem.” .
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called a National Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to address violence against women.
The Prime Minister appears at a protest calling for measures to confront the crisis.
‘What always worries me at times like this is that one or two things are funded and announced in a knee-jerk reaction, but there is no sustained, much broader approach.
“There is no quick and easy solution, but sometimes it seems like the government thinks it can just throw money at you.”
Dr Kirsty Duncanson, senior lecturer in crime and justice, echoed the sentiment and questioned whether it was a “mistaken disorientation to focus on pornography.”
“The focus here needs to be on high-risk, serial perpetrators,” he said.
‘Governments should seek to improve police responses to people experiencing violence… especially for marginalized groups.
“What we need to do is focus on what is happening in everyday life, as well as the systemic gender inequality that already exists in society.”
The couple also fears that the one-time $5,000 payment for women fleeing violent relationships “will run out very quickly.”
Dr. Ison said that without sustained support for long-term housing and mental health, women may feel they have no choice but to return to the violent relationship.
“Money isn’t everything, but it absolutely helps,” he said. But that’s not the whole story.’
Greens spokesperson for women Larissa Waters said the government’s plan does not go far enough.
Greens spokesperson for women Larissa Waters criticized the policy
The Prime Minister has set aside $925 million over the next five years to help women leaving violent relationships as part of a wide-ranging plan to tackle the crisis, in which a woman is killed in Australia every four days by her partner. .
‘925 million dollars in 5 years? Is that all women get? she asked.
‘To help them find support services, but not to FUND those services?! Which ones only receive half of the financing necessary to meet demand? After 50 BILLION for Defense? And there is no national prevention program or government-run domestic violence death toll?
‘Shameful.’
Waters argues the government should have prioritized funding frontline support services that help women at risk.
Instead, he said the policy “will simply increase demand in a sector that is already under pressure.”
‘The sector has asked for a billion dollars a year to be able to help everyone who requests it, and the federal government is providing just under half. Nothing in today’s announcement addresses that regrettable lack of funding.
‘The pittance that is allocated today to women’s safety after $50 billion for Defense was announced last week is a criticism of the government’s priorities.
‘Nothing for frontline services. Nothing for housing. There is no new money for prevention. No domestic violence death toll will be collected by the government rather than by volunteers.’
Protesters are shown marching in solidarity during the ‘No More!’ speech. National demonstration against violence in Melbourne
