Some 150 passionate Tasmanians flooded Hobart on Saturday to call for an end to violence against women in a vibrant, creative rally. Their numbers signified a swelling power of the frustrated at the federal government’s lack of action on this critical, urgent matter. Thousands of students walked out in protest in major cities across Australia, including Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Bunbury. In both cities, participants passionately called for long-overdue reforms to improve women’s safety right now.
The Australian Femicide Watch founder and longtime advocate Sherele Moody told the outlet she was appalled by the government’s failure to act on the epidemic of violence against women. Her sentiments were repeated across both rallies, which welcomed everyone from victims’ advocates to legal experts, to deeply personal voices at the heart of this movement’s experience.
Calls for Government Action
The rallies brought together people from all walks of life who are calling for more government investment in crisis prevention and support services. Activists called for mandated trauma-informed training for first responders to better equip them to handle cases of domestic violence and abuse.
Brittany Higgins, a prominent advocate and victim-survivor, attended the rally in Brisbane where she held a poignant sign stating, “25 women killed and still not an election issue.” Higgins’s presence at the convening underscored the urgency of addressing this crisis at all levels of government.
“We need men to stand alongside women as we fight to create the culture and systemic change that sees us genuinely support victim-survivors to safety and hold men who use violence to account,” said an anonymous speaker during the rallies. It seemed like all the attendees were thinking this. One advocacy group put it right when they said violence against women is not only a woman’s issue, it’s society’s issue that requires action from all for all.
In Bunbury, about 40 people took part in a noisy march through the CBD to the local police station and courthouse. This occasion only amplified the international outcry over the threats to women’s safety and the demand for action to prevent violence against them.
Advocating for Legal Reforms
The protesters called for nationwide consistent, holistic consent laws, reforming housing security and bail priorities to put victim-survivor safety first. These demands are a part of a growing awareness that we cannot rely on existing legal frameworks to protect the most vulnerable among us.
Katrine Hildyard, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, acknowledged the situation called for immediate systemic change. She highlighted as an example the current debates over whether to establish a royal commission into domestic violence. As seen in report after report, protestors were calling for this discussion to turn into actual policy action.
“Women don’t need any more talkfests from the government. What they need is action,” stated an anonymous speaker at one of the rallies. This urgent call for tangible change resonated with many participants who felt that words alone are insufficient to address the crisis at hand.
Attendees shared their own stories, illustrating how violence against women is ingrained in our everyday lives and culture. Brooke Gillham, a victim-survivor leading several rallies across different cities, recounted her experiences and underscored the importance of raising awareness about these issues.
Community Engagement and Solidarity
The protests were marked by an unprecedented turnout of men who came to demonstrate their solidarity with the movement. “It was really empowering and amazing to see the turnout and see the attendance from men in the crowd — men who were engaged and men who want to be part of the movement,” remarked Stacey Nelan, emphasizing that male involvement is crucial for fostering cultural change.
The She Matters mural includes the names and images of more than 100 Australian women who have been killed, or died as a result of violence. On International Women’s Day it was especially charged, as it soon became the site of a heated debate after being defaced with the words “war on men.” Thousands voiced outrage at this attack on democracy. They view it as a red herring and derelict of attention from the growing concern of violence against women.
“We are just here to stand up for women who don’t have a voice anymore and for the millions of people who are getting abused by men daily,” stated a Perth attendee. This declaration summed up the amazing spirit of unity that pervaded everyone in attendance. Together, they hoped to increase victims’ voices, typically the least heard.
Gina Martin, another advocate present at the protests, declared emphatically, “They matter, their stories matter, their legacies really matter.” Her words struck a chord with the audience. They came together, not just to remember Black and Brown lives lost to police violence, but to call for justice and systemic change.
