Violence against women rallies unfold in Melbourne and Brisbane as tens of thousands march for a second day in a row

Tens of thousands of protesters are marching across the country demanding action against violence against women.

A total of 15 ‘No More: National Rally Against Gender Based Violence’ protests were planned in major cities across Australia’s capitals and regional cities on Saturday and Sunday.

The protests started in Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide on Saturday afternoon and continued in Melbourne and Brisbane on Sunday.

This month alone there has been a spate of women killed, allegedly by men, including Molly Ticehurst, 28, Emma Bates, 49, Erica Hay, 30, and the horrific stabbing in Bondi Junction that claimed the lives of five women.

Large crowds of protesters gathered outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday morning before marching to Federation Square.

In one confrontational scene, a woman marched with a red handprint painted on her mouth while holding a sign that read “real men don’t commit violent crimes.”

Other protesters were seen holding signs that read: ‘The system has failed us’ and ‘be careful, text me when you get home’>

The series of national rallies, organized by the nonprofit organization “What Were You Wearing,” calls for increased funding for family and sexual violence services.

The protests also demand that Anthony Albanese declare gender-based violence a national emergency.

It comes as 26 Australian women have been murdered by a current or former partner so far this year – a rate of one every four days – according to data from advocacy group Destroy the Joint’s Counting Dead Women project.

Australians across the country turned out in large numbers to call for an end to gender-based violence, following a series of recent attacks on women

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan thanked protesters who attended the marches across Australia at a press conference after the rally in Melbourne.

Ms Allan said women have “had enough of being angry” and deserve the right to feel safe in their lives.

“Women deserve the right to be safe in any space and we continually see too many women losing their lives,” Ms Allan said.

“There were women at the march today, just like me, we’ve been marching on this issue for decades and decades.

“We’ve had enough of being angry and outraged and sad and grieving for women who have lost their lives, for women who have been seriously injured, for women who are too traumatized to participate in the workplace, to participate as members of our organization. community.’

It comes as federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus rejected the idea of ​​setting up a royal commission into domestic violence.

Mr Dreyfus, who attended the meeting in Melbourne, said domestic violence must be tackled through cooperation between the federal and state and territory governments.

“I think we’ve already identified a whole range of actions that need to be taken, and I think we can probably say that we need to work harder on the types of actions that have already been identified,” Mr Dreyfus said. said.

“And I think we can probably say that we need to work harder on the types of actions that have already been identified.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the meeting in Canberra, along with Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth.

More to come…