Horrors of domestic violence

The tragic case of a young mother burnt to death on the Gold Coast, allegedly by her estranged husband, has again brought into sharp relief the trauma and tragedy of violence against women. Kelly Wilkinson, 27, allegedly was set alight in the backyard of her Arundel home by former US marine Brian Earl Johnston while their three children were inside. In South Australia on Wednesday, 38-year old Henry Shepherdson jumped from the Whispering Wall in Williamstown, killing himself and his infant daughter, Kobi. Both cases are almost beyond comprehension, but they are a stark reminder of what the campaign to tackle violence against women is really all about. Johnston and Shepherdson both had been the subject of domestic violence orders, but that was not enough to stop the tragedies. Johnston has been charged with murder and police will mount a full investigation into the death of baby Kobi.

The killings are a reminder that, disturbing as they may be, allegations of rape that have scandalised parliament in recent weeks do not represent the frontline in a war that must be waged to keep women and children safe from unhinged partners. Once again the media class can be accused of being too inwardly focused. Women’s safety is not a Canberra issue, it is a reality across the nation, and stopping killings is the tough part of government policy. The political class must not be distracted by proximity or personal prejudice. Stopping the senseless killing of women and children everywhere must be the enduring focus of parliaments at both a state and federal level.

Uxoricide, the act of killing a wife, and filicide, the killing of a son or daughter, are inexplicable to most people but unfortunately all too common. Every example rightly shocks society and leaves questions about what could have been done better. But the latest killings are just extreme examples of the terrors experienced by wives, daughters and mothers across every socio-demographic in every city, town and suburb in the nation. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price bravely has brought attention to the plight of many Indigenous women who are powerless when faced with unimaginable violence in remote communities. Ms Price is correct to raise the alarm, just as welfare groups are correct to say that violence against women and children is a problem for society as a whole.

This is the challenge for Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston, who has been charged with introducing a national blueprint to reduce violence against women. The Morrison government will hold a summit dedicated to women’s safety in July. Scott Morrison says the national women’s safety summit is vital to build on the existing national plan to protect women and children from the scourge of family, domestic and sexual violence. “Respect, dignity, choice, equality of opportunity and justice are fundamental to the safety of women in our country,” the Prime Minister has said. Senator Ruston says people will be able to share their experiences in seeking and accessing support services, and will have the opportunity to make suggestions for targeted prevention and response measures. One plan is to extend protection for women by tackling areas such as financial and coercive control.

Clearly, examination is needed into why existing measures, including domestic violence and apprehended violence orders, are not able to adequately prevent senseless tragedies such as the death of Wilkinson and baby Kobi. These deaths are the reality of what is going on in the community that needs to be addressed. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament that dealing with family violence was a bipartisan issue. “Respect needs to start at home,” Ms Palaszczuk said. “Respect needs to be in our schools and in the way we treat one another. Respect needs to be shown everywhere.”

But the issue is not just about respect, it is about the legal system and policing as well. Fundamentally, the issue may be about abhorrent male behaviour, but beyond that it is about mental health, proper policing and judicial process. These are the areas in which governments need to focus attention.