23 April 2024
In just four months, at least 25 lives have been taken by gendered violence, with Counting Dead Women Australia, announcing the latest murder – 28-year-old Molly Ticehurst in Forbes, NSW.
Delia Donovan, CEO of Domestic Violence NSW, has responded to the latest tragedy calling on the NSW Government to commit to investing at least $40 million in ending these preventable murders and greater accountability at all levels of the systems – including courts.
“It is horrifying to see another woman, Molly Ticehurst, murdered by someone known to her. The accused was reportedly on bail for domestic and family violence related charges at the time. We need systems and courts that prioritise the safety of victim-survivors, above all else. ADVO’s must be taken seriously, and we must examine how we minimise risk when a perpetrator has already broken the law,” Ms Donovan said.
Adequate investment is also required. The NSW domestic and family violence sector is extremely underfunded – the NSW government spends less than half of what the Victorian Government spends. Yet of the 25 women murdered this year alone, almost half lived in NSW. In 2023, at least 64 women were murdered in Australia as a result of gendered violence, with 17 of these deaths occurring in NSW.
Ms Donovan continued, “Real investment is required. We know that domestic and family violence is preventable – there is a clear and immediate need to invest in changing community attitudes and behaviours through community education and early intervention programs. Addressing the drivers of gendered violence is key to stopping it before it starts. At least $40million is needed to effectively implement the NSW Primary Prevention Strategy. The number of lives saved depends on the funding the NSW Government is willing to commit to in its upcoming budget.”
The devastating events that have occurred this year already can leave people feeling helpless, but there are simple ways people can help end gendered violence.
Ms Donovan continued, “Earlier this year we launched an educational campaign with Rosie Batty AO, to provide Australians with resources to help them play a role in preventing domestic and family violence. This included providing practical guidance on how to identify domestic violence, how to support someone who is experiencing domestic violence, how to model respectful behaviours and how to get involved in creating more awareness and understanding of the issue.”
The Pledge has almost 4,000 signatures; by simply signing and sharing this resource the public can help increase awareness and send a powerful message to change makers that Australians are demanding an end to these murders. It’s a small action that can have huge results.