No More Violence Toowoomba rally calls for urgent domestic, family violence reforms as part of national movement

Toowoomba residents have made their voices heard at the local edition of a national series of rallies against domestic and family violence. Here are the reforms they say are needed.

Stephanie Clarke leads the chanting as more than 100 people march in the No More Violence Rally in Toowoomba's Queens Park, organised by volunteer group What Were You Wearing to advocate for more funding to stop domestic and family violence.

The loss oflives across Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley in the past year due to alleged domestic and family violence is sadly not surprising for Grace Middleton.

“It’s a story that’s on repeat, I think, and that’s the saddest part — it is on repeat and there is nothing being done,” the Toowoomba domestic violence advocate said.

Ms Middleton helped lead more than 100 women, men and children on a march through Queens Park on Saturday to urge action from local leaders on domestic violence.

Grace Middleton and Stephanie Clarke stand in front of more than 100 residents who marched in the No More Violence Rally in Toowoomba's Queens Park, organised by volunteer group What Were You Wearing to advocate for more funding to stop domestic and family violence.

The No More Violence Rally was part of a series across Australia organised by national not-for-profit What Were You Wearing.

The tragedy follows the death of Toowoomba mother Louise in April and Withcott woman Frances Crawford, allegedly at the hands of their husbands.

Cameron Hunt, 45, has been charged with one count of murder and arson and has not yet entered a plea over the death of Louise. Robert John Crawford, 47, is contesting a charge of murder relating to the death of his wife Frances.

No federal, state or local representatives were present at the march.

Demands to government as part of the national movement included bail reforms, more investment in frontline and preventive services, funding for more housing, and nationally consistent coercive control and consent laws.

Many of the participants at the event were themselves survivors of DFV, a fact that pushed Ms Middleton to tears.

More than 100 people marched in the No More Violence Rally in Toowoomba's Queens Park, organised by volunteer group What Were You Wearing to advocate for more funding to stop domestic and family violence.

“These ladies who show up today who have men who are still not behind bars and still could possibly hurt them – I just think it’s so courageous and for them to be able to stand up for other people who might not have a voice at the moment,” she said emotionally.

Louise and Ms Crawford were among the more than 120 names of women allegedly killed by domestic violence since the start of 2024 that were read out by organisers at the march — a process that took eight minutes.

Ms Middleton said children were often forgotten victims of domestic violence, either by being killed or being forced to witness it in the home.

More than 100 people marched in the No More Violence Rally in Toowoomba's Queens Park, organised by volunteer group What Were You Wearing to advocate for more funding to stop domestic and family violence.

“It doesn’t matter what gender you are, you can still be a victim of domestic violence,” she said.

Ms Middleton said while all six demands applied to Toowoomba, she said her experience talking to survivors informed an urgent need for more frontline service support and housing.

“As much as I’d like to say prevention, I think funding the critical services that we have at the moment is probably the most pressing need,” she said.

“Just so the people who need them at the moment can get the access and get the care that they do deserve.

“Yes, the demand is crazy and we just don’t have enough people on the front lines, they’re overworked and exhausted.”

The Greens were the only party to address domestic and family violence during the most recent federal election in Groom, with Senator Larissa Waters calling on the government to fund a national DV toll in the same way it did for road deaths.

Ms Middleton said while the national conversation was slowly moving forward, national movements like WWYW could help push it further.

“Our rally last year, which attracted 100,000 people, it did result in some funding being added to domestic violence (but it) is definitely not enough to cover the services,” she said.

‘No one wants to speak up’: Why Hayden joined DV rally

Hayden Brook holds a sign as more than 100 people march in the No More Violence Rally in Toowoomba's Queens Park, organised by volunteer group What Were You Wearing to advocate for more funding to stop domestic and family violence.

Hayden Brook has seen men in society use degrading language to describe women and display a litany of red flags.

It’s a pattern the Toowoomba man said wouldn’t stop unless blokes were part of the solution.

“It’s just unacceptable, I think — the way that everything has happened, and what’s still happening,” Mr Brook said at the No More Violence rally on Saturday.

“If we don’t speak up, especially us men, it’s never going to change.”

Mr Brook was among the dozens of men in attendance at the event in Queens Park, which he said displayed some slowly-changing attitudes around the issue.

But he said calling out sexist, demeaning or even potentially violent behaviour was still an exception rather than the norm.

“You see it whether they say they’re joking (making sexist or humiliating remarks) but you know it’s not a joke,” Mr Brook said.

“For a lot of blokes, if it’s their mates, whether they’re at work or (socialising), they don’t want to seem like they’re the outcast, especially when it comes to speaking up, and no one wants to speak up about this problem.”

Originally published as No More Violence Toowoomba rally calls for urgent domestic, family violence reforms as part of national movement