Crowds hold rallies over deadly attacks on women

Violence against women should be treated as a national emergency, says a senator in the wake of determined protest action across the country.

Hundreds of people braved heatwave conditions in many of the cities and towns where protests were held on Saturday as they voiced a simple yet powerful message: stop killing women.

Speaking to a large crowd in Perth, Greens senator Dorinda Cox demanded more action to keep women safe.

Stop Killing Women rallies being held around Australia call for an end to gender-based violence.Credit: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

“What’s more important than 14 women just this year dying? What’s more important than 114 women dying in a 14-month period last year ... nothing,” she told reporters.

“Women continue to have their voices silenced in this country and that’s got to stop. We need our political leaders to listen to women.

“They are 50 per cent of this population and the government needs to recognise that.”

Protests were held in capital cities and regional centres, organised and funded by Australian Femicide Watch and the Red Heart Campaign.

A total of 117 women have been killed by violence since January 2024, rally organisers say.Credit: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Sherele Moody of Femicide Watch said she was disappointed many invited politicians had failed to attend the rallies.

“Leaders were invited, especially [Prime Minister Anthony] Albanese ... There’s been no presence from him,” she said.

“There’s no one turning up for the rallies in WA, no one bothering to turn up the huge rally in Alice Springs, Brisbane, Canberra, they’re just, it’s like they don’t care.”

Moody said tens of thousands of women experienced abuse in Australia every day and the nation needed to “wake up”.

“Heading into the national election ... people need to vote for the parties that give a shit about women,” she said.

Violence has resulted in the deaths of 117 women since January 2024, including 14 killed since the start of 2025.

Advocates also want a national register to track the number of female deaths to violence.

AAP