Thousands march across Australia at violence against women rallies (2024)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon joined tens of thousands of protesters to call for an end to violence against women.

A total of 15 'No More: National Rally Against Gender Based Violence' protests were planned for major cities across Australia's capital cities and regional towns on Saturday and Sunday.

The protests kicked off inSydney, Hobart and Adelaide on Saturday afternoon before continuing on Sunday in Melbourne and Brisbane.

This month alone there has been a wave of women killed allegedly at the hands of men including Molly Ticehurst, 28, Emma Bates, 49, Erica Hay, 30, and the appalling Bondi Junction stabbing attack which claimed the lives of five women.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon joined tens of thousands of protesters to call for an end to violence against women

Mr Albanese and Ms Haydon were present at the rally in Canberra - one of several locations that set the stage for the demonstrations around the country on Sunday

People gather at the State Library of Victoria to rally against women's violence

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan (pictured at the Melbourne rally) said Australian women 'had enough of being angry'

Protesters marching in Melbourne's rally

Large crowds of protesters gathered outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday morning before marching to Federation Square.

In a confronting scene, one woman marched with a red hand print painted across her mouth while holding a sign that read: 'real men don't commit acts of violence'.

Other protesters were seen holding signs that read: 'The system has failed us' and 'be careful, text me when you get home'.

The series of national rallies, organised by non-profit group 'What Were You Wearing', are calling for boosted funding for family and sexual violence services.

The protests are also demanding Anthony Albanese declare gender-based violence a national emergency.

It comes as 26 Australian women have been killed by a current or former partner - a rate of one every four days - so far this year, according to data from advocacy group Destroy the Joint's project Counting Dead Women.

Australians around the country turned out in large numbers to call for an end to gender-based violence, following a series of recent attacks on women

The series of national rallies were organised by non-profit group 'What Were You Wearing'

The large crowd of protesters gathered outside the State Library of Victoria and marched to Federation Square

Pictured, protesters marching in solidarity during the 'No More!' National Rally Against Violence in Melbourne

Victorian PremierJacinta Allan thanked protesters who attended the marches across Australia in a press conference after Melbourne's rally.

Ms Allan said women had 'enough of being angry' and deserved the right to feel safe in their lives.

'Women deserve the right to be safe in every space and we are seeing, continuously, too many women are losing their lives,' Ms Allan said.

'There were women at the march today, like me, we've been marching on this issue for decades and decades and decades.

'We've had enough of being angry and outraged and sad and grieving for women who've lost their lives, for women who have been seriously injured, for women who are too traumatised to participate in the workplace, to participate as members of our community.'

It comes as Federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus rejected the idea of holding a royal commission into domestic violence.

Queensland Premier Steve Miles (right) joined thousands at King George Square at 11am and marched through Brisbane's city centre

The protests come after 26 women were killed by their current or former partner so far this year

One protester was seen holding a sign that read: 'I don't want to go to my friend's funeral because a man can't say no!'

Protesters called on the government to take action and provide more funding for domestic violence services

Mr Dreyfus, who was in attendance at the Melbourne rally, said domestic violence should be dealt with via cooperation between the federal and state and territory governments.

'I think we've actually identified a whole range of actions already that need to be taken, and I think what we probably can say is that we need to be working harder on the kinds of actions that have already been identified,' Mr Dreyfus said.

'And I think what we probably can say is that we need to be working harder on the kinds of actions that have already been identified.'

Queensland Premier Steve Miles joined thousands at King George Square at 11am and marched through Brisbane's city centre.

Mr Miles stood in support of the protesters and was pictured next to a woman holding a sign that read: 'Stop killing women'.

Another young woman, who was holding back tears, was seen marching with a sign: 'I don't want to go to my friend's funeral because a man can't take a no!'.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is due to attend the rally in Canberra, along with the Minister for Women Katy Gallagher and the Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth.

READ MORE:Four things that could change RIGHT NOW to save the lives of Aussie women from violence - as a famous Australian suggests a controversial new name for DV offenders

Molly Ticehurst (pictured) was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend

Thousands march across Australia at violence against women rallies (2024)

FAQs

What is the March Melbourne violence against women? ›

The march was one of many held across the country in recent days to remember women who died due to domestic violence. Protesters held signs saying “The system has failed us”, calling the repeated deaths of women at the hands of men an epidemic.

What has Australia done for violence against women? ›

On 17 October 2022, the Australian, state and territory governments released the new National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. This new plan provides an overarching national policy framework that will guide actions towards ending violence against women and children over the next 10 years.

How many women were murdered in Australia in 2024? ›

Four months into 2024, 33 women in Australia have been murdered, largely by a man they knew.

How many women killed each week in Australia? ›

Key findings

One woman was killed every 11 days and one man was killed every 91 days by an intimate partner on average in 2022–23.

What is the color of violence against women in Australia? ›

The campaign will run until 10 December 2023, World Human Rights Day. The international campaign utilises the colour orange to represent a brighter future, free from gender-based violence.

How many women in Australia have been assaulted? ›

2.2 million women

How many women are killed by intimate partners? ›

Some 47,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family mem- bers in 2020. This means that, on average, a woman or girl is killed by someone in her own family every 11 minutes.

When was the last woman hung in Australia? ›

Shortly after 8 a.m. on 19 February 1951, Jean Lee, an attractive, red-haired, 31-year-old woman was hanged at Melbourne's Pentridge Prison. She had been sedated and was held upright on a chair before being plunged to her death. Jean Lee was the last woman hanged in Australia and the only one to hang this century.

How many men are murdered in Australia per year? ›

There were 377 victims of homicide and related offences recorded in Australia in 2022, an increase of 7 victims from the previous year. Most victims of homicide and related offences were: male (69% or 259 victims) aged over 18 years (85% or 320 victims)

What country has the highest domestic violence rate? ›

The 14 countries with the highest prevalence estimates of intimate partner violence in the past year (ranging from 25–36%) were Democratic Republic of the Congo (36%; UI 23–50%), Afghanistan (35%; 22–50%), Papua New Guinea (31%; 19–45%), Vanuatu (29%; 16–48%), Equatorial Guinea (29%; 16–46%), Solomon Islands (28%; 15– ...

Is domestic violence high in Australia? ›

It is estimated that of all Australian adults: 11.3% (2.2 million) had experienced violence from a partner (current or previous cohabiting) 5.9% (1.1 million) had experienced violence from a boyfriend, girlfriend or date. 7.0% (1.4 million) had experienced violence from another family member (ABS 2023c).

What is the difference between a homicide and a femicide? ›

Moreover, COST Action 1206 provides definitions of femicide. These definitions distinguish femicide from non-gendered descriptions of murder and homicide. Instead, femicide exemplifies that women are killed for different reasons and motives from those associated with typical descriptions of murder.

What is the women's March fighting for? ›

The Women's March was a worldwide protest on January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president. It was prompted by Trump's policy positions and rhetoric, which were considered misogynistic and represented a threat to the rights of women.

What is a march protest? ›

protest march. noun [ C ] /ˈproʊ.test ˌmɑːrtʃ/ uk. /ˈprəʊ.test ˌmɑːtʃ/ an occasion when people show that they disagree with something by walking somewhere, often shouting and carrying signs.

What is the violence against women march in Brisbane? ›

In one of the biggest protests on Brisbane's streets since 2020's Black Lives Matter marches, about 3000 people protested the alleged murders of 33 women in domestic violence attacks in Australia since the beginning of the year.

What is the domestic violence trend in Australia? ›

According to the 2021–22 PSS: 1 in 4 (23% or 2.3 million) women have experienced violence from an intimate partner since the age of 15. 1 in 14 (7.3% or 693,000) men have experienced violence from an intimate partner since the age of 15 (ABS 2023a).

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