The nation's chief lawmaker, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, delivered a powerful message calling for men to take action in preventing women from dying due to male violence. He addressed the pressing issue at a family violence symposium in Melbourne, stressing that even one woman's death at the hands of a man is unacceptable, labeling the current situation as an epidemic that must come to an end. Dreyfus highlighted recent tragic events, including the deaths of multiple women in Bondi Junction and the Ballarat community, underscoring the alarming statistics that show an increase in female deaths caused by male perpetrators compared to previous years.
According to Counting Dead Women, there have been 24 female deaths this year attributed to male violence, a figure that signals a concerning rise from the same period last year. The Attorney-General pointed out the federal government's efforts through the National Plan to End Domestic Violence but acknowledged criticisms regarding its implementation. Dreyfus emphasized the need for a significant shift in recognizing that the majority of violence against women in Australia is carried out by men, emphasizing the urgent necessity to put an end to this societal scourge.
Debates arose following questions about categorizing recent attacks on women as terrorism, with the country's spy boss explaining the criteria for labeling such acts. Dreyfus refrained from classifying the Bondi Junction attacks as terrorism and emphasized the crucial focus on addressing the issue of male violence against women instead. He urged for a separate conversation on violence against women without intertwining it with other motives and emphasized the primary goal of ending this prevalent issue. Dreyfus highlighted the need for more understanding of male violence and reiterates the importance of men stepping up to create lasting change in combating violence against women.