Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has said there is a crisis of male violence in Australia, labelling it a “scourge” that must be stopped.
Speaking to the ABC’s RN Breakfast program on Friday, Dreyfus said women could not be expected to solve the crisis of male violence against women alone.
His comments come as 24 women have been killed by violence so far this year, according to Destroy The Joint’s Counting Dead Women register, including five women who were targeted in the Bondi stabbing attack last weekend.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said Joel Cauchi, the man who killed six people and injured several others, seemed to focus on attacking women and avoiding men as he rampaged through Bondi Junction.
Asked whether killing women in such a way should be made a terrorist offence, Drefyus said: “We can talk about violence against women, without blurring lines into something else.”
“We’ve got a crisis of male violence in Australia. We know that it’s a scourge in our society. We know it must end,” he said.
“It’s really clear. Women can’t be expected to solve violence against women alone. It’s time for men to step up. I don’t think debating definitions is the way to go.”
Dreyfus comments also come as a rally was held in Ballarat in Victoria last week to honour the lives of three women who were killed in two months.
Dreyfus will elaborate in a speech at a family violence event today, in front of advocates including Rosie Batty, where he will call on men to do more to stop women being killed.
“We need to accept that family and domestic violence is indiscriminate,” Dreyfus said on RN Breakfast.
“There are women of every age, from every cultural background, with different jobs and levels of education and income, living in different areas and leading different lives. Family violence destroys lives and one life lost is too many.
“The safety of women is national priority for the Albanese government. We have a shared goal right across the government to end violence against women and children in a generation.”
On Thursday, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan also spoke out about male violence against women, calling it “the numer one law and order issue” in Australia right now.
“This level of violence against women is not just unacceptable. It has to stop and women and the broader community are calling for it to stop. Women are fed up, they’re frustrated, they’re angry,” she said.
“Not just women who are murdered, but women who are seeing repeated acts of violence perpetrated against them. This has to stop.”
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.