Anthony Albanese urges men to have more discussions about violence against women and children

A horrific string of violent incidents has prompted the Prime Minister to call on men to change their attitudes towards women.

Anthony Albanese has vowed to take “every measure” possible to address chronic rates of domestic violence in Australia, after another woman was allegedly murdered by an ex-partner.

The Prime Minister has called on men and boys to speak out more after the body of 28-year-old mother-of-one Molly Ticehurst was found at her home in the NSW Central West on Monday morning.

Police later arrested her former partner, a 29-year-old man, who has been formally charged with her murder.

Molly Ticehurst was found dead at a home in Forbes on Monday morning. Picture: Supplied / Facebook

Ms Ticehurst is the 25th woman to have been allegedly murdered in Australia his year.

Her death comes more than a week after five women and one man were killed when a 40-year-old Queensland man went on a stabbing rampage at Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Albanese condemned a “horrific” rise in acts of violence and said the country needed to “do better” as a society to ensure the safety of women and children.

“We all have a responsibility to do what we can to address what is a scourge of violence against women,” Mr Albanese told ABC.

“The fact that more than one woman per week has died at the hands of someone that they know, whether it’s a partner or someone in a relationship, is just completely unacceptable.”

Mr Albanese attended a candlelight vigil on Sunday to honour the victims of the Bondi Junction massacre. Picture: NSW Government/NCA NewsWire.

“Men and boys have to clearly have discussions about these issues. There’s a need to show respect to women and it is just horrifying the fact that overnight we have heard of this latest incident which adds to the pain that is out there.”

At least 25 women have died from acts of violence in Australia as of April 22, according to the research group Counting Dead Women Australia.

Figures from White Ribbon Australia estimate that one woman on average is murdered every nine days.

White Ribbon chief executive Melissa Perry said the data paints a picture of a “national crisis” and called on governments to urgently prioritise responding to family and domestic violence.

“We need to mobilise as a nation to say this is simply unacceptable and won’t be tolerated any longer,” Ms Perry said.

White Ribbon CEO Melissa Perry said high rates of violence showed no signs of slowing down.

“Greater investment is needed across all areas of the family domestic violence and abuse sector.

“This includes primary prevention strategies and education campaigns to stop violence before it starts, behaviour change programs for men who have chosen to use violence, and victim-survivor support services.”

The federal government has committed about $2.3bn to women’s safety and family and domestic violence support, including $169m for states and territories to deliver an additional 500 frontline domestic violence workers to communities.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth told the ABC in March that 17 of the 500 domestic violence staff had started work, saying Labor needed to “work hard” to fulfil its election promise to get more workers on the ground.

Independent Senator David Pocock said while more funding was needed to bolster domestic violence services in states and territories, rising rates of violence against women was ultimately a societal issue.

“This is framed as a women’s issue but clearly, this is first and foremost a men’s issue,” Senator Pocock said.

“This is the way that boys, young men are thinking about women and we have a huge cultural issue here that we need to tackle. This is going to take far more than some extra funding.

“It’s deeply, deeply troubling. I would love to see more action from the government and I think government at all levels, but ultimately, this is up to all of us to be having these conversations and shifting things.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese urges men to have more discussions about violence against women and children