Speeches have been given, urgent meetings have been called and the Prime Minister has described domestic and family violence as a “national crisis”.
Plenty of words have been shared, including those from Anthony Albanese at a rally over the weekend that saw him described as a “liar” by the event organiser, and Albanese then failing to respond, apologise or address the comment in any meaningful way.
The fallout from the weekend’s event is a terrible look for the PM. But worse now would be to see a government waste the urgent calls being made to initiate immediate, meaningful change.
So far, we just haven’t seen enough of it from the Albanese government, especially given the generalised comments from himself and other ministers calling for “change”, as if the massive cultural shift needed could happen overnight. Like this from Attorney General Mark Dreyfus who said, “I think we’ve actually identified a whole range of actions already that need to be taken” and that “we need to be working harder.”
What would it take to create meaning from such platitudes? Action-based leadership.
We need it from the PM to initiate a nationally coordinated response to the national crisis of male violence against women.
Albanese has the public momentum and even some serious support from established media to create clear opportunities now to be the instigator of the kind of changes needed to meet the government’s stated promise of ending violence against women “within a lifetime”.
Calling it a “crisis”, as Albanese did on Monday morning, declaring the violence “must stop,” and even that “men must change” might go further than the previous government ever did, but words are pointless unless they are followed by real funding and tangible changes.
And the rate of male violence against women is more than a crisis. It is an Australian reality and one that won’t go away without serious funding, action and constant attention that goes beyond declarations that governments and “men” must do better.
The Australian reality is that while we have experienced a spate of high profile murders in recent months – culminating in a toll of 27 women killed by violence so far this year – male violence against women is not new or unique to 2024. New figures out today find that the number of women killed by a current of former intimate partner increased significantly in the past fiscal year.
Two weeks out from the Federal Budget, Albanese has the opportunity to deliver on the kind of real funding the services sector has been calling on to ensure all women escaping violence can do so, knowing they will be able to access the support they need. He could initiate funding that is in proportion to the scale of the problem, as Rosie Batty has suggested, describing “family terrorism” as posing “more risk to our local communities than the terrorism we are terrified of from overseas.”
He could end the cycle of competition that exists between these services having to fight for limited pools of funding. He could push the states to fund and plug the gaps in regional and remote Australia, enabling women to access support and information closer to home.
He could address the serious shortage of funding allocated to women and gender equality — sitting at just 3.2 per cent of total federal spending, according to new figures published on Women’s Agenda today.
He could lead on a meaningful and powerful coordinated national response across all states and territories, one that takes in the varying and diverse needs of different groups of women, including First Nations women. This process has started, with Albanese calling an urgent meeting with state and territory leaders for this Wednesday — but it must include clear and immediate actions rather than more words. Action that immediately addresses bail laws enabling alleged violent offenders to return to the street after posting as little as $5000. A response that could take some inspiration from the anti-terrorism laws that take urgent and immediate action against individuals who are believed to pose an immediate risk to others.
Albanese could take the advice of the National Women’s Safety Alliance on the above, and establish nationally consistent high-risk perpetrator interventions with consistent information sharing between police services, consistent bail reform, and greater acceptance of DFSV socialist service risks assessments when assessing victim risks.
He could, again as suggested by the NWSA, order an immediate and urgent review of all deaths of women by male violence, and identify the real link between accused murderers who are already on bail or have a domestic violence order against them.
He could coordinate a response across the corporate sector also in addressing all areas of coercive control and financial abuse. He could give the private sector, including the tech and banking sectors, no choice but to address how their products and services are used to perpetuate this control and abuse. He could do more to ensure women can access escaping violence payments quickly, as they need it, building on the improvements that have already been made. He could examine other ways to address the costs women face in attempting to leave an abusive relationship, resulting in the difficult choice between poverty and violence, as Dr Anne Summers noted in her 2022 research finding that 15 per cent of women who were able to temporarily leave a partner returned because they had no money or nowhere else to go.
He could take a bold and courageous stance on addressing excessive alcohol consumption in Australia and its link to domestic and family violence — including the demonstrated uptick in violence that occurs around big sporting matches. He could take a national approach to addressing gambling reform in Australia, noting its line to financial strain and ruin and mental health.
He could bolster the states and territories to get real on affordable housing, with 7500 social and affordable homes needed in just NSW alone, every year, for the next two decades, to meet demand.
As the prime minister, he can do more than speak. He can leverage the momentum of mourning and anger Australians are feeling and access numerous opportunities in the coming weeks to get real on ending violence against women.
The above suggestions are hardly new or original—and they only scratch the surface of what’s needed and what is being suggested by so many excellent advocates and groups that have been pursuing this work for decades. But they are there for the taking by a leader committed to going further than simply suggesting that violence against women will end with time, with more “respect,” or with some kind of sudden cultural change.
Male violence against women is an Australian reality. Leadership can create a new reality for all of us.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.
Feeling worried or no good? No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn. Speak to a 13YARN Crisis Supporter, call 13 92 76. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.