Hobart joins in on national She Matters Rally to call for action on domestic, family and gender violence

The Red Heart Campaign slogan was a simple one: “stop killing women”. A Hobart rally was one of 14 across Australia and here’s what Tassie women had to say.

Cas Lee speaks. She Matters – Stop Killing Women Rally at Franklin Square Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Hundreds of people shared the heartbreak of gender-based violence in Hobart’s Franklin Square and called on governments to better protect women.

Organiser Bonnie Sveen said it was an emotionally charged event, given how prolific violence is it impacts so many women.

“There was a lot of empathy, a lot of heartbreak,” she said.

The Hobart rally was one of 14 ‘She Matters” rallies held across Australia on Saturday, stemming from The Red Heart Campaign founded by Sherele Moody.

The Red Heart Campaign slogan is simple: “Stop Killing Women”.

She Matters – Stop Killing Women Rally at Franklin Square Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Since January 2024, 117 women in Australia have been killed by someone they knew.

Ms Sveen said these statistics need to change, but so far in 2025, it’s looking to be another deadly year.

“We were demanding more action from Anthony Albanese, from the federal government and from Jeremy Rockliff and the state government, demanding they roll out meaningful budget and policy chances,” Ms Sveen said.

“To increase funding for victim support, intervention and create stricter laws to end violence against women.”

Speakers at the Hobart event were Dontay and Sky Westbrook, Romany Wake, Shakira Robertson, Belinda Taranaki, Cass Lee and led by Rachel Dunn, along with Ms Sveen.

“Five of our speakers are family members of Tasmanian women killed through violence either domestic or family violence or gendered violence,” Ms Sveen said.

“I put my hand up to co-ordinate this event because domestic violence and family and gender violence very much affects the Tasmanian community, and I thought it was crucial that our community was able to participate in this national conversation and these national rallies.”

Women are crying out for a cultural change, Ms Sveen said.

Romany Wake holding a picture of her mother Rachel Wake who was killed in 2021. She Matters – Stop Killing Women Rally at Franklin Square Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“It’s not just the perpetrators that are creating that, that you know that violence, it’s perpetuated by every time we excuse acts of manipulation or oppression or misogyny,” she said.

“Every time we excuse somebody on the radio or the behaviour that we’ve seen recently on the dating reality shows.

“The lack of accountability and the victim blaming that happens through education institutions, through to universities, through to the workplace, into the media, there’s so many factors that are adding fuel to this, to gendered and family violence, and we need to see women have had enough. We need to see a change, a cultural change and accountability everywhere.”