Albanese tells rally gendered violence is 'a problem of our entire society' (2024)

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told attendees at a march against domestic violence his government "must do better", adding violence is "a problem of our entire society" and it requires men to change their behaviour.

Late on Sunday afternoon, Mr Albanese joined the Canberra edition of a series of walks around the country demanding an end to gender-based violence, walking with Minister for Finance and Women Katy Gallagher and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth.

The PM had not planned to speak at the event, but stood up to do so after an event organiser pointed him out in the crowd and asked him to commit to specific policy actions, including issuing a legal declaration that family violence is a national emergency.

Mr Albanese told the crowd the national emergency declaration was a short-term legal avenue intended for use in natural disasters, but said family violence was a "national crisis".

"We need to change the culture. We need to change attitudes. We need to change the legal system. We need to change the approach by all governments, because it's not enough to support victims. We need to focus on the perpetrators and focus on prevention," he said.

Some crowd members heckled the prime minister before and during his speech, but the crowd loudly applauded when he said it was "up to men" to change their behaviour and stated perpetrators should be "held accountable".

Told by one crowd member he needed to do more, he responded: "I know, I know. That's why I'm here.

"I know that we all must do better. But I know this as well — that I've got to be honest. It's not just government's problem. It's a problem of our entire society."

Mr Albanese confirmed he had convened a meeting of state and territory leaders in a national cabinet on Wednesday to discuss further actions.

The rallies coincided with police charging a Perth man with the murder of his partner — the 27th time a man has been charged in relation to the death of a woman in Australia this year.

Governments to stick to national plan

Earlier in the day, Ms Rishworth said the national domestic violence plan agreed by national cabinet in 2022 needed more time before its effects would be seen.

Ms Rishworth and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus have both said the government does not plan to set up a Royal Commission.

Instead, Ms Rishworth said, the government believed it needed to "get on with the job" of implementing the national plan to end violence against women, agreed by national cabinet in 2022.

That plan aspires to eradicate violence "within a generation", and will be used as a framework to guide government actions at all levels until 2032.

"We need to actually just start delivering," Ms Rishworth said.

"[It] is less than two years old … We need to have this consistent effort."

Four areas of focus identified

The plan identifies four areas of focus: prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing. Governments at all levels have started funding initiatives.

"Some of that work, while it's urgent to invest, the results will take some time to see the change we need to turn things around," Ms Rishworth said.

"Importantly, it was informed by victim-survivors and other experts."

But the Coalition has been critical of the slow rollout of one of the early measures taken by the Albanese government— funding for 500 frontline domestic violence workers.

In March, a Senate committee heard only two workers had been appointed despite funding being provided in October 2022.

"We've all had enough, enough of the big money announcements. We need money on the ground," Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said on Sunday.

Ms Rishworth said the money had been provided to states and territories, which were "recruiting as we speak".

"That funding is in the budget, [but] we are not as the Commonwealth responsible for frontline workers … I expect we will meet our targets," she said.

Senator McKenzie and other senior Coalition figures have not directly called for a royal commission, but Senator McKenzie criticised the government for being "big on royal commissions in opposition [but] now refusing one".

Independent MP Dai Le told the ABC's Insiders she did not support a royal commission.

"I don't know if another royal commission will actually do any good … Target the funding to communities experiencing high domestic violence [rates instead]," she said.

Albanese tells rally gendered violence is 'a problem of our entire society' (1)

Ms Le also suggested language about domestic violence could "alienate one group from another … Not all men are violent, but the way we're portraying it is that men are violent against women," she said.

Ms Rishworth and Senator McKenzie both identified a need to tackle men's attitudes.

"Too often we frame this problem as a women's problem, [as if] women need to fix this, but really this is a men's violence problem," Ms Rishworth said.

"For an individual to call out violent behaviour if they see it, to call out disrespectful attitudes to women, this is at the heart of what is being called for," she said.

Senator McKenzie said Australians needed to ensure "our young men… display their masculinity in powerful but respectful ways".

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Albanese tells rally gendered violence is 'a problem of our entire society' (2024)

FAQs

What is the concept of gender-based violence? ›

Gender-based violence (GBV) by definition

It can include violence against women, domestic violence against women, men or children living in the same domestic unit. Although women and girls are the main victims of GBV, it also causes severe harm to families and communities.

Who is affected by gender-based violence? ›

Both women and men experience gender-based violence but the majority of victims are women and girls. Gender-based violence and violence against women are terms that are often used interchangeably as it has been widely acknowledged that most gender-based violence is inflicted on women and girls, by men.

What are the statistics for gender-based violence? ›

1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence (e.g. beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

Who was the first lady of Australia? ›

Spouse or partner of the prime minister of Australia
Partner of the Prime Minister of Australia
Incumbent Jodie Haydon since 23 May 2022
ResidenceThe Lodge (primary) Kirribilli House (secondary)
Inaugural holderJane Barton
Formation1 January 1901

What is gender-based violence a problem? ›

Gender-based violence is a human rights violation

It affects not only physical health but also mental health and may lead to selfharm, isolation, depression and suicidal attempts.

What is the root of gender-based violence? ›

Gender inequality, and the norms and beliefs that violence against women and girls is acceptable, cause gender-based violence. There are also many factors that increase the risk of GBV, with women and girls living through crises experiencing an increase in both the frequency and severity of GBV.

Which country has the most gender-based violence? ›

Snapshot
  • South Africa and Brazil top the list due to extremely high rates of violence against women, including sexual violence and intentional homicide.
  • Russia and Mexico are notably dangerous due to high intentional homicide rates against women and significant limitations on women's societal and economic participation.

What are two main risk factors for gender based violence? ›

Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration
  • Low self-esteem.
  • Low education or income.
  • Young age.
  • Aggressive or delinquent behavior as a youth.
  • Heavy alcohol and drug use.
  • Depression and suicide attempts.
  • Anger and hostility.
  • Lack of nonviolent social problem-solving skills.

Who is the perpetrator of gender based violence? ›

Gender-based violence (GBV) refers to any act done to someone against their will as a result of gender-norms, and unequal power relationships. The perpetrators of GBV are predominantly men, and the victims are most frequently women.

What gender has the highest rate of abuse? ›

All victims should be able to access appropriate support. Whilst both men and women may experience incidents of inter-personal violence and abuse, women are considerably more likely to experience repeated and severe forms of abuse, including sexual violence.

What gender is more prone to violence? ›

According to these results, men commit violent crimes more than three times as often as women [source: United States Department of Justice].

What is the most common gender violence? ›

Intimate partner violence refers to behaviour by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviours. This is one of the most common forms of violence experienced by women globally.

When was the first white man in Australia? ›

While Indigenous Australians have inhabited the continent for tens of thousands of years, and traded with nearby islanders, the first documented landing on Australia by a European was in 1606. The Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon landed on the western side of Cape York Peninsula and charted about 300 km of coastline.

Who is the first lady of the United States? ›

Jill Biden, Ed. D., is the First Lady of the United States, a community college educator, a military mother, a grandmother, and bestselling author.

Who was the first white woman in Australia? ›

Located in the Methodist burial ground at Back River, near New Norfolk in the Derwent Valley, the inscription simply reads: “Near this spot was laid to rest BETTY KING, the first white woman to set foot in Australia.”

What is gender-based violence core concept? ›

committed with force, manipulation or coercion and without the informed consent of the survivor – against a person because of their gender in a society or culture. This definition is summarised from definitions presented in UNHCR guidelines and in CEDAW.

What is gender-based violence concept note? ›

Violence against women has also broader social and economic consequences for families, communities, and societies9 and impedes the achievement of sustainable development. New IMF research in Sub-Saharan shows how violence against women and girls is a major threat to economic development in the region.

What are the main characteristics of gender-based violence? ›

Gender-based violence may include physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse, or threats of abuse. People of all genders, sexual orientations and gender-identities may experience gender-based violence, but women and girls are impacted the most.

What is the theory of gender violence? ›

Feminist theories as applied to DV/IPV emphasize the role of violence in maintaining control over the female partner to undermine a woman's autonomy and independence to suppress and limit her power in the relationship.

References

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