Thousands of Victorians have rallied against gender-based violence, marching from Melbourne’s State Library to Federation Square on Sunday, chanting: “Say it once, say it again: no excuse for violent men.”
Premier Jacinta Allan, Attorney General Mark Dreyfus and independent MP Dr Monique Ryan joined the rally, which was one of many held across the country in recent days to remember women who died due to domestic violence.
Protesters rally against gender-based violence in Melbourne CBD on Sunday,Credit: Wayne Taylor
Protesters held signs saying “the system has failed us”, calling the repeated deaths of women at the hands of men an “epidemic”.
The rallies were organised by What Were You Wearing, an Indigenous-led not-for-profit fighting against gender-based violence in Australia.
“We want the government to acknowledge this is a national emergency,” the organisation’s social media manager, Martina Ferreta, told the crowd.
“I want to thank each and every one of you who have attended today, especially in a time when a lot of us aren’t feeling safe outside simply because they exist. It takes a lot of bravery to be out there.”
Protesters marched from the State Library to Federation Square.Credit: Wayne Taylor
The organisation is calling for additional funding for domestic and sexual violence services, better reporting options for those experiencing family violence, and for media to wait for 48 hours before publishing photos of women who have died at the hands of men.
Palawa woman Maggie Blanden urged those at the rally not to “turn a blind eye” to the epidemic of violence against women.
Source Agencies
