Thousands of Perth protestors have joined a desperate nationwide call for an end to violence against women, with figures showing at least 27 have been killed by men in Australia so far this year.
Taking to Forrest Place on Sunday, speakers addressed the need for a united effort against the violence, including increased action and advocacy from men.
The rally, one of a dozen around the country this weekend, drew tens of thousands, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the premiers of NSW, Victoria and Queensland to local events.
Despite that, WA Premier Roger Cook was not seen at Perth’s event, with Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing chief executive Alison Evans asking where the Premier was.
“We know it’s a crisis – the government knows it’s a crisis. But where is the Premier today,” she said.
“You’ve got at least half the population who is saying that we don’t feel safe in our community. And we want you to do something about it.
“It’s not enough. I feel ashamed — I feel the weight of the responsibility. And I don’t understand why the government doesn’t.”
Mr Cook, speaking at an announcement of $165 million to upgrade WA’s adventure tourism offering, would not be drawn directly on why he did not attend the rally.
He thanked Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Sabine Winton for attending and pointed to last week’s announcement of $96m in additional funding on preventative measures as proof of his Government’s commitment to combat family and domestic violence.
“We are really pleased that we are least making the investments to continue to support the community,” Mr Cook said.
“We all condemn family and domestic violence and as a community we all have to work together to reduce the incidence.
“Any violence is unacceptable, but family domestic violence has an extra insidious element that we all stand and condemn.”
At Perth, the crowd of about 2000 people carried placards including “Girls just want to feel safe”, “Enough is enough” and “Men of quality don’t fear equality”.
After a series of speeches, the crowd marched from Forrest Place to Parliament House.
Domestic Abuse Resource and Training director Jolene Ellat used her speech to the crowd to praise the Cook Government’s recent announcement of $96 million in additional funding but said cultural change was needed as well.
“We call upon the government to acknowledge the severity of the situation. We cannot just throw money at this problem and expect things to change,” she said.
“It is a systemic issue that demands urgent attention — we need decisive action a considered approach and an evidence-based approach, not empty promises or hollow rhetoric.”
In an emotional, impromptu speech Meretta Kickett, the mother of Tiffany Woodley, spoke about wanting to be a voice for those left behind.
Ms Woodley was allegedly murdered by her ex-partner Peter Damjanovic at her Bedford home last August. Mr Damjanovic has plead not guilty to the murder charge.
“There’s not a day that goes by without looking around, wondering for my daughter to ring me up and say ‘mum, can I come home?’, you know, ‘mum, can you come and give me a hug?’,” Ms Kickett told the crowd.
“There comes a time where we have got to get up and stand up and be the person who we are and keep on telling the truth.”
Among the scheduled speakers at Forrest Chase was Will Scott — the father of Jessica Bairnsfather-Scott who was killed by her partner in 2019.
Harold Carter admitted murdering Ms Bairnsfather-Scott, his partner of 12 years — but claimed he had been suffering from mental health issues brought on by his meth use in the months and weeks before her death.
He also claimed it was the former health sector worker who provoked his murderous reaction.
Mr Scott said a lot of domestic violence deaths could be prevented through the justice system.
“I hope there comes a times when the justice system is made accountable for their lack of keeping our women, children and men safe,” he said.
“When these perpetrators come before them, I plead with them that they use the resources already available to them much more than they’re using them at the moment – violence restraining orders, GPS tracking devices, and home safety monitors, These are things that they already had, but they don’t use them to their full capacity – I ask, why not.”
Mr Scott called on men to speak up: “Men need to speak up and stand up against these cowards because that’s what they are – they’re cowards,” he said.
We Are Womxn co-founder Kate Raston said education was prevention and called for proactive programs for young people.
“This is an epidemic — a massive epidemic and we must do better. Australia aimed for a 25 per cent reduction in the number of women being killed this year and that is not happening,” she said.
“They say boys will be boys. They will not simply be boys, they will be what we teach them.”
Author Rabia Siddique also called for men to speak out against the signs of violence
“Our brothers must speak up, must stand up and stand with us because female victims of male violence are everywhere and we need men to care and to act,” she said.
“We are your partners, your mothers, your sisters, your aunts, your daughters, your colleagues, your neighbours, your friends. We are your bosses, your teachers, your doctors, your lawyers, your police officers, your soldiers, your judges and so are our abusers.
“We are killing ourselves. We are trapped. We are gagged and we are desperate. We are exhausted. We are angry, and we say enough is enough.”
Statistics show in 2024, a woman has allegedly died at the hands of her partner every four days.
They have included several in Western Australia, with a man accused of killing his partner Erica Hay appearing at a Perth court on Sunday — hours before the scheduled rally and march in the CBD.
Police allege that Luke Sekkouah physically assaulted Ms Hay at their shared home on Currie Street in Warnbro, last week before setting the property alight while she was inside.