Tragic photo sums up Aussie crisis as rallies against domestic violence kick off
One photo has summed up the tragedy of Australia’s domestic violence crisis as a series of protests got underway across Australia on Saturday.
The daughter of murder victim Katie Haley has delivered a powerful message as national rallies against violence against women got underway.
Thousands descended on Australian streets on Saturday in a string of ‘No More’ national rallies against violence as 54 women have been lost to predominantly male violence this year alone.
The figures are based on Sherele Moody’s Femicide Watch and compare with about 74 women lost across the whole of 2023.
Katie Haley was murdered by her partner Shane Robertson in March 2018 at her Diggers Rest home in northwestern Melbourne.
Robertson was sentenced in the Victorian Supreme Court to 24 years in jail after killing his partner of four years with a dumbbell bar.
At Saturday’s rally in Melbourne, Katie’s daughter held up a sign saying “My Mummy” accompanied by a picture of the 29-year-old mother of two.
Hundreds lined the streets at the Melbourne rally, despite the dreary wet conditions.
More protests are expected across the country on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, podcast host Abbie Chatfield urged more men to get involved after a “disheartening” number attended the rallies in April this year.
“I attended the last rally as I have been affected personally by domestic violence, and see women bear the brunt of men’s violence far too often,” she said.
“For this to happen in a rare circumstance is awful enough, but in Australia men’s violence and disregard for women’s stories is not a rarity, it’s the norm,” she said.
“I attended because I wanted to feel a sense of something being done to make the government see how much of a dire situation this is. There was such a great sense of coming together by the rally organisers and the participants, however it was disheartening to see how few men were in attendance.”
Chatfield said the rallies are “incredibly important” to attend, “particularly for men and those who haven’t been affected by men’s violence”.
“They put pressure on our elected officials to change the systems which uphold patriarchy and hence patriarchal violence,” she said.
“They also provide women and marginalised people who have experienced violence a sense that people are fighting for them, and that the deaths of women in this country will not be forgotten or put to the side.”
However the Australian media personality said she’s unsure if she’ll be able to attend the rallies herself after having to leave the April Sydney rally early to prevent a PTSD flashback episode happening.
“I’m currently undergoing EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy) to deal with the PTSD from men’s abuse, so these days can be extremely triggering for me,” she said.
“I am hoping to attend at this stage but am unsure what the state of my mental health will be, as undergoing EMDR means my sensitivity changes day by day.
“These are the lasting impacts of abuse, and this is why it is so important for those who haven’t been affected [by DV] to march.
“I hope to see more men at this week’s rally, and I hope to see more male media personalities being vocal on this topic in the future.”
“Not enough is being done” to curb violence
Rally organiser and What Were You Wearing? (WWYW?) founder Sarah McWilliams said she was deeply concerned by the rate at which women are being killed by predominantly male violence, demanding more be done to curb the horrific violence.
“Just one (death) is more than enough, but if we keep going at this rate we’ll be doubled by the end of the year,” she said.
“Not enough is being done.”
Ms Williams and her non-profit WWYW? organisation have planned nearly 30 No More national rallies against violence across the country this weekend, following on from a string of rallies in April attended by tens of thousands of people.
The rallies demand increased funding for grassroots organisations, specifically men’s behaviour change programs and women’s refuges, as well as mandatory trauma informed training for first responders, including police.
It comes despite the Albanese government committing $925m to a leaving violence payment scheme in May. Eligible victim-survivors can claim packages of up to $5000.
“Frontline services are still screaming out for funding, and we’re one of them,” Ms Williams said.
She added the packages simply weren’t adequate and claimed many women who needed the payments had been denied eligibility.
“Five thousand dollars is nothing, especially for a single mum with kids … especially with the rental crisis and the cost of living; that money is going to be gone in a week’s time,” she said.
It’s understood the Albanese Government funds key training programs, including DV-alert training in the health and community frontline worker sectors.
A gender and disaster recovery program and accredited training for sexual violence responses to train medical professionals and frontline workers to better recognise and respond to victims of sexual violence is also funded by the Albanese government, and $159m has been put into the National Partnership Agreement to support frontline services and the frontline workforce.
However, frontline and emergency services primarily fall under state and territory governments.
Funding won’t fix the bigger issue
The issue runs deeper than funding: How do you solve a deeply complex societal and behavioural issue?
“Let’s just say the funding gets to the services … I’ll be completely honest, it might get a little bit better, but the issue is still going to be there,” Ms Williams said.
“We aren’t educated properly on healthy relationships and victim blaming, and our rape culture in Australia is through the roof.
“Until things like that actually get tackled properly, funding is not going to really help the problem.”
Ms Williams said people with large platforms must use them to bring awareness to violence against women, similar to the AFL Carlton Respects Game, which she said was still just a start.
However, Ms Williams also noted funding was still essential in order to run programs in schools and plan community actions.
Thousands expected to rally
The rallies kicked off on Friday night in Byron Bay and Logan, with further marches peppered across the country over Saturday and Sunday.
Actor and speaker Chloe Hayden is set to deliver a keynote address in Melbourne on Saturday after the Heartbreak High star was spotted at the Geelong rally in April.
“I just reached out to her and was like ‘Look, I know it’s a long shot, but would you potentially speak’? And she was really keen,” Ms Williams said.
The April rallies amassed huge crowds following the Bondi Junction stabbing attack in which six people – including five women – were killed.
Anthony Albanese was previously slammed for making “tone deaf” remarks at one of the rallies outside Parliament House.
Video emerged of the Prime Minister asking Ms Williams whether she wanted him to speak; however, Ms Williams accused Mr Albanese of telling her “I’m the Prime Minister of the country, I run this country” as he stepped up to talk.
The WWYW founder has also denied claims Mr Albanese had asked to speak at the event prior to the day.
Now months on, Ms Williams said she hoped to see Mr Albanese at one of this weekend’s events.
“I’d love to see him at one of the rallies, and I’d love to see him come out and commit more funding or more change,” she said.
Ms Williams added that Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Women Minister Katy Gallagher should also be present.
“They 100 per cent should be showing up and sitting there and listening to everyone and then reflecting, talking to their people and committing (to action),” Ms Williams said.
However, Ms Williams claimed many politicians had declined invitations to attend.
“It blows my mind that certain premiers or politicians are like, ‘Oh, busy’. Busy doing what?” she said.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the safety of women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence is a “national priority” for the government, and that she is working alongside the government every day under the National Plan.
“We will continue to deliver activities that support the Action Plans under the National Plan – including looking at where we may need new activities to achieve our goal under the Plan, particularly in relation to new and emerging risks like online extreme misogyny,” she said.
She added the government allocated more than $3.4 billion for women’s safety across three budgets and convened a dedicated National Cabinet earlier this year.
“Family and domestic violence destroys lives – it must end,” she said.
“There is more to do to achieve our shared goal with states and territories to end violence against women and children in one generation,” she said.
“We all have a role to play in ending violence against women - governments, community members, businesses, social media companies and individuals.”
Where to attend:
Saturday July 27
Yugambeh/Gold Coast, Broadwater Parklands, 10am
Dharawal Land/Wollongong, Crown St Mall Amphitheatre, 11am
Bpangerang/Wangaratta, King George Gardens, 10am
Garramilla/Darwin, Parliament House, 11am
Gimuy/Cairns, Muddy’s Event Lawn, 12pm
Nipaluna/Hobart, parliament Lawns, 1.30pm
Kanamaluka/Launceston, Launceston City Park, 1.30pm
Werribee, Station Place, 2pm
Bundaberg, Lions Park, 2pm
Darkinjung/Central Coast, Memorial Park, The Entrance, 11am
Ballarat, Bridge Mall, 12pm
Naarm/Melbourne, State Library, 12pm
Ngunnawal/Canberra, Regatta Point 2pm
Sunday July 28
Tarndanya/Adelaide, Vic Square, 10am
Gubbi Gubbi/Sunshine Coast, Foundation Square, 10am
Djilang/Geelong, Market Square Mall, 11am
Kamilaroi/Tamworth, Tamworth Town Hall, 11am
Dja Dja Wurrung/Bendigo, Rosalind Park, 11am
Boorloo/Perth, Forrest Chase, 11am
Meeanjin/Brisbane, King George Square, 11am
Yanguduban/Cobram, Federation Park, 11am
Gadigal/Sydney, Hyde Park, 11am
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Wiradjuri/Orange, Robertson Park, 2.30pm
Guruk/Port Macquarie, Town Green Foreshore, 11am
Guwarri/Broome, Town Beach (Guwarri), 11am
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