It’s time to rally against male violence.
This weekend, thousands of Australians will march against the national crisis of male violence in protests taking place around the country.
Organised by What Were You Wearing Australia, an Indigenous, queer and disabled led Not-For-Profit that strives to end sexual and gendered violence, the national rally is a response to the alarming surge in male violence this year.
Already, 31 women have been lost to male violence this year, according to the Australian Femicide Watch. The latest death, 49 year old Emma Bates, is the 11th woman to be killed in just 24 days, coming soon after the shocking death of Molly Ticehurst and the Bondi Junction attacks.
Compared to last year, the number of women allegedly murdered by gender-based violence has almost doubled.
Founder and CEO of What Were You Wearing Australia, Sarah Williams, is calling for politicians and the Australian to do more.
“Enough is enough. And it has been enough for a long time. We need more action from politicians, and we need them to take these crimes more seriously. In 2012, two men were killed and it triggered a whole new law. Now, more than 60 women are being murdered every year and we are still lacking action,” Sarah said in a statement.
Ethan Fraser, long time volunteer and CFO at What Were You Wearing, has also called for men to step up.
“When it’s us men who are the predominant perpetrators of violence, it shouldn’t be left to everyone else and the victims to address and fight the issue. If we aren’t willing to support and continue to deny there’s a problem, nothing will change.”
The organisation is calling on Australians to come together, march against this epidemic and advocate for change.
Where Are The Protests Taking Place?
The rallies are taking place in twelve locations around the country, including Sydney, Newcastle, Ballarat, Coffs Harbour, Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne, Bendigo, Geelong, Brisbane, The Sunshine Coast and Perth. It’s expected that more locations will be announced in the coming days.
Depending on your location, the protests will take place from the 26th to the 28th of April, 2024.
The rallies will begin with a march through prominent streets in each location, followed by speeches, performances and organised activities that aim to help survivor victims process the day.
There will also be access to support services for victims.
I Can’t Attend A Protest, How Can I Support The Cause?
There are many things you can do to support the cause, these include:
- Donating to the No More: Rally Against Violence campaign through the organisation’s GoFundMe.
- Send a message to your local MPs about the cause. You can find information on how to do this here.
- Share information about the national rallies on your social media, and with your friends and family.
If this article has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.
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