Tens of thousands of protesters are marching in demonstrations across the country demanding action against violence against women.
A total of 15 ‘No More: National Rally Against Gender-Based Violence’ protests were planned in major cities across Australia’s capital cities and regional cities on Saturday and Sunday.
Protests began in Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide on Saturday afternoon before continuing in Melbourne and Brisbane on Sunday.
This month alone there has been a spate of women murdered allegedly at the hands of men, including Molly Ticehurst, 28, Emma Bates, 49, Erica Hay, 30, and the horrific Bondi Junction stabbing attack that claimed the lives of five women.
People gather at the State Library of Victoria to demonstrate against female violence
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan (pictured at the Melbourne rally) said Australian women had “had enough of being angry”.
Large crowds of protesters gathered outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday morning before marching towards Federation Square.
In one confrontational scene, a woman marched with a red handprint painted on her mouth while holding a sign that read, “real men don’t commit violence.”
Other protesters were seen holding signs that read: “The system has failed us” and “be careful, text me when you get home.”
The series of national protests, organized by non-profit group ‘What Were You Wearing’, are calling for increased funding for family and sexual violence services.
The protests also demand that Anthony Albanese declare gender-based violence a national emergency.
It comes as 26 Australian women have been murdered by a current or former partner – a rate of one every four days – so far this year, according to data from aadvocacy group for the Destroy the Joint Counting Dead Women project.
Large numbers of Australians across the country turned out to call for an end to gender-based violence, following a series of recent attacks on women.
The series of national protests was organized by the non-profit group ‘What Were You Wearing’
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan thanked protesters who attended marches across Australia at a post-rally press conference in Melbourne.
Allan said women were “tired of being angry” and deserved the right to feel safe in their lives.
“Women deserve the right to be safe in all spaces and we continually see too many women losing their lives,” Ms Allan said.
‘There were women in the march today, like me, we have been marching on this issue for decades and decades and decades.
“We are tired of being angry, outraged, sad and grieving for women who have lost their lives, for women who have been seriously injured, for women who are too traumatized to participate in the workplace, to participate as members of our community.’
It comes as federal attorney-general Mark Dreyfus rejected the idea of holding a royal commission into domestic violence.
Dreyfus, who attended the Melbourne rally, said domestic violence should be tackled through cooperation between the federal and state and territory governments.
“I think we have already identified a whole range of measures that need to be taken, and I think what we can probably say is that we need to work harder on the types of measures that have already been identified,” Mr Dreyfus said. saying.
“And I think what we can probably say is that we need to work harder on the types of actions that have already been identified.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the rally in Canberra, along with Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth.
Queensland Premier Steve Miles (right) joined thousands of people in King George Square at 11am and marched through Brisbane city centre.
The protests come after 26 women were murdered by their current or former partner so far this year.
One protester was seen holding a sign that read: “I don’t want to go to my friend’s funeral because a man can’t say no!”
Queensland Premier Steve Miles joined thousands of people in King George Square at 11am and marched through Brisbane city centre.
Thousands supported the protesters and was photographed alongside a woman holding a sign that read: “Stop killing women.”
Another young woman, holding back tears, was seen marching with a sign: “I don’t want to go to my friend’s funeral because a man can’t take no!”
More to come…
