On 28 April, protests took place across Australia in response to the growing violence against women. The protestors demanded that gender-based violence be declared a national emergency and imposed strict laws to prevent such incidents. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the protests in Canberra and said, “Society and Australia must do better. We need to change the culture and attitudes. We need to change the legal system.” On 29 April, PM Albanese called for the entire government to take more steps to prevent violence against women.

In Adelaide, Greens Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that a “national emergency response” was necessary to combat gender-based violence in Australia. So far, more than 15 “No More: National Rally Against Gender-Based Violence” have been held across Australia, including cities such as Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

The Bondi Junction stabbings
On 14 April, an assailant stabbed and killed six people at a crowded shopping centre in Sydney before being neutralized by the police. According to the reports from New South Wales Police, Joel Cauchi aged 40 was responsible for the killing. The police chief, Anthony Cooke, said that the suspect was suffering from mental issues and showed no signs of terrorism. Six people, including five women and one man, aged between 20 and 55, were killed in the attack. Another 12 were injured and were admitted to the hospital.

What is the background?
First, is the issue of intimate partner homicide
According to the data from the Australian Institute of Criminology, the rate of women killed by an intimate partner in Australia increased by nearly 30 per cent in 2023, compared to 2022. In the year 2022, 34 women were killed by a current or previous intimate partner, which is eight more than were killed in 2021, with the rate of these deaths increasing by 28 per cent. Experts highlight that violent murders are the tip of the iceberg. The institute’s findings report that the COVID restrictions and lockdowns had a direct effect on intimate partner homicides.

Second, the national plan
On 17 October 2022, the Australian state and territorial governments released the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. The plan saw prevention as its primary objective to address violent behaviour through shifting social attitudes. While it addresses the issue in general, the issue of shifting social attitudes does not align with its goal to reduce the problem of violence in one generation.

Why is there increasing violence against women?
According to the experts from criminology, misogyny is the primary reason for the violence against women. The hate speech in Australia has become normalized to the extent that 23 per cent of Australian men find it normal to use misogynistic language online. The hate speech has been flourishing in online platforms to the extent that it promotes male supremacist ideology while trying to demean women.

Gender equality is one of the critical issues in Australia affecting gender violence. According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s Employer Census 2022-2023, Australia’s gender pay gap is 21.7 per cent, in which women are paid an average of USD 26,400 per year. While women continued to be represented in the labour force by 51.1 per cent, they are under-represented in managerial positions across major industries. This shows the extent to which workplace abuse through discrimination in hiring can impact the progress of the country and overall crime levels.

Experts suggest the government’s inability to impose controls on alcohol, gambling, and pornography addiction among young men. Alcohol availability has been able to drive violence against women. Gambling has triggered significant financial abuse against families in Australia, particularly women, as it creates financial distress among the family. Exposure to pornography at a young age has led to a rise in sexual violence against women in Australia.

References
Rick Rycroft, and Keiran Smith, “Police in Australia identify the Sydney stabbing attacker who killed 6 people,” Associated Press, 14 April 2024
Tasmin Rose, Catie Mcleod, and Chi Hui Lin, “Bondi Junction stabbings: killer Joel Cauchi may have targeted women and children, NSW police say,” The Guardian, 15 April 2024)
Grant Wyeth, “Violence Against Women Is a Wicked, and Urgent, Problem for Australia,” The Diplomat, 29 April 2024
“The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032,” Australian Government Department of Social Services, 17 October, 2022”