By Amber Schultz and Clare Sibthorpe
Hundreds marched in Gosford on Sunday after the alleged murder of Audrey Griffin by a stranger who was spared jail two months before her death.
Adrian Noel Torrens was placed on a community corrections order despite a history of domestic violence abuses and breaching apprehended violence orders when he allegedly murdered Griffin as she walked home from a night out with friends in Gosford in March.
Hundreds of people marched in Gosford on Sunday against male violence against women. Credit: Dean Sewell
Torrens was found dead in his prison cell on Thursday, days after he was charged with murder. Police say his death is not suspicious.
The Central Coast rally against violence encouraged attendees to “march in fury”, demanding change from politicians. At least 24 women have been killed this year, said Australian Femicide Watch.
The hundreds-strong crowd marched from Gosford waterfront park to Central Coast Leagues Club.
Supporters chanted: “Twenty-four too many! How many more? Stop killing women! Change the law!”
Another chant went: “Say it once, say it again! No excuse for violent men! When our right to safety is under attack, stand up, fight back!”
On signs, messages read: stop killing women; women’s rights are human rights; #24 too many, no excuse for violent men; girls just wanna be safe; our girls deserve change.
Sarah Williams, a rally co-organiser and chief executive of What Were You Wearing Australia, said it was time that Australia got angry, describing Sunday as “a day to rage and demand action”.
Griffin’s mother, Kathleen Kirby (left), says her daughter was let down by the justice system.
“How are people who have breached their AVOs not a danger to the community? A lot of the community is angry and devastated,” she said. “This should be one of the core topics spoken about by political parties.”
As the protest ended, Williams said that while women had grown tired of being unsafe, the protest gave her hope things might change.
“A lot of people who helped organise this rally were 15 or 16, and that’s just crazy to me,” she said.
The “March of Fury” rally was organised by What Were You Wearing Australia.Credit: Dean Sewell
“Literal children should not have to be caring about these things and organising them … it’s the first time we’ve had so many younger people involved.”
Adrian Noel Torrens had been spared jail for violent offending months before he allegedly murdered Audrey Griffin.Credit:
Williams said the rally had “put the fire” in her to push for national rallies on the crisis.
A petition by What Were You Wearing Australia, demanding more action from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and all federal election candidates, has garnered more than 11,000 signatures.
Piper Yanz, a former schoolmate and Griffin’s friend, said Griffin’s death was a reminder to women of the dangers they faced in Australia.
“This happened 500 metres from the high school where so many of us got to know and love Audrey, after she just finished a night out in the same way and in the same place that most girls our age do,” Yanz said. “It’s very hard to be confronted with a reality that’s so brutal.
“It’s a misconception that an event like this creates fear … in reality, it reminds us of the danger in the first place, and ultimately why we need fear to survive.”
Also attending were Labor MP for the Central Coast seat of Robertson, Gordon Reid, Liberal candidate for Robertson Lucy Wicks, and a 2022 candidate for the seat of Terrigal, Sam Boughton, who is now a local advocate.
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