Enough talk, act now to protect victims of domestic violence

Anthony Albanese’s appearance at the recent rally against violence against women is a lesson in raw politics. His presence is now the issue and how it was handled is a lesson to be learned (“ ‘Misogyny at its finest’: protest leader blasts PM”, 30/4).

The real issue is desperate for thousands of women exposed to domestic violence from controlling men. The government just needs to demand the courts stop letting these men out on bail to kill their partners. It needs more support services to provide safe places for women and a lot of other fairly simple actions. Having emergency cabinet meetings is pure window-dressing.

The Prime Minister just looked out of place and blundered on with lots of collateral damage.

This issue is never going to be easy to fix but sympathetic rhetoric is just not going to wash. Positive action is needed, not pious words of outrage.

Alasdair Cameron, Woodend, Vic

Another talkfest will do nothing to protect women. Apprehended violence orders do nothing to protect women. A big stick is required for those men who think it is OK to assault their partners. State crimes acts need to be amended to include a new offence of “violence against women”.

Violence of any kind against women needs to be regarded as an aggravated offence requiring mandatory imprisonment or at least a patently heavier sentence than now applies for assaults. Education of young boys also is required for long-term improvement, but the big stick is needed now, given the number of women murdered so far this year.

Don’t do the political thing and refer to a committee. Do something, now, today.

Leslie Young, Randwick, NSW

Notice how politicians from state and local governments have only just discovered that they have domestic violence problems in their constituencies?

Out they come, with non-government organisations, when cameras arrive, demanding action – and money. It’s not as if DV only just appeared. The difference? They can sniff the heady aroma of federal government funding for the inevitable furrow-browed committees, which will, of course, achieve nothing but line the pockets of the usual suspects. Why is nobody discussing the elephant in the room – the cultural backgrounds and ethnicities of the disproportionate vast majority of offenders?

The grotesque over-representation of ultra-minority groupings is palpable and known to all social workers and the police. Why is this being deliberately censored from public discussion? Open it up and start to solve the DV problem at its sources.

G. Higgins, Stanmore, NSW

The federal and state national cabinet meeting scheduled for this week is to consider strategies for combating violence against women. One presumes that includes Aboriginal women who, ignored and totally out of proportion to the overall population, have been subjected to death and violence for years. And one presumes the meeting’s strategies also will include Jewish and Israeli women.

Peter M. Wargent, Mosman, NSW

Identifying strategies that reduce the violence against women is obviously difficult as the problem is getting worse. Given data and observation lead to understanding, and understanding is a necessary condition for good decision-making, perhaps experts should analyse and publish data from the sadly long list of offences to help identify elements that give a clue on actions that might make a difference.

Ken Clarke, Tweed Heads, NSW

It appears that Anthony Albanese made a few missteps at the recent rally against gendered violence and now has been accused of misogyny. Did he wear a blue tie or look at his watch? Did he seek his wife’s view on the problem? Did he mansplain or fail to understand the “lived experience” of women?

He could be only a small step away from getting burnt by a gender war.

Mark Scanlan, Hawthorne, Qld

Claire Lehmann is right (“Ideology will not protect women from violent men”, 29/4). It is a truism that there is a subset of males who have a natural proclivity to violence. Abrogating our responsibility and social obligations to the government to remedy this problem is typical laziness.

Terry Walmsley, Benowa, Qld