Anthony Albanese, Australia's Prime Minister, on Tuesday, declared domestic violence and crimes against women a "national crisis". This decision from the prime minister comes days after protests in major Australian cities and a spike in the number of homicides committed against women.
Launching the 'Leaving Violence' programme, the Australian Prime Minister announced that the federal government will be committing 925 million dollars over the next five years to permanently establish this programme.
The programme was announced for a meeting of the national cabinet where Albanese met with state premiers to discuss the spike in homicides and gender-based violence in the country.
What Is The 'Leaving Violence' Programme?
The Leaving Violence programme has been established as a fund to help people leave abusive relationships. The programme comes after a spike in crimes against women and domestic violence was reported across Australia.
The 925 million dollars will be presented in the budget for the new financial year to permanently establish the Leaving Violence programme "so those escaping violence can receive financial support, safety assessments and referrals to support pathways.
"Those eligible will be able to access up to $5,000 in financial support along with referral services, risk assessments and safety planning," the Australian PM added further.
Australia Declares Violence Against Women A 'National Crisis'
As per the Australian Institute of Criminology, in the 12 months till June 2023, around 34 women were killed at the hands of an intimate partner. As per the institute there are been a 31 percent increase in the victims as compared to the same period in the previous year where 26 women were killed.
In 2024 alone, a total of 28 women have been killed in Australia due to gender-based violence. Based on this tally, the average adds up to one death every four days.
"It's an issue for all of us to work together in the national interest to deal with what is a scourge of violence against women that is having a real impact out there, with one every four days a woman losing their life at the hand of a domestic or former domestic partner," stated Albanese.
Protests All Across Sydney
The Australian government's announcements comes after a series of protests rocked the nation. From Sydney to Canberra, thousands of Australians took to the streets to call for stronger laws for gender based violence and violence against women.
The protests were not only sparked by the spike in homicides but also after the two stabbing that took place in Sydney.
In April, a man went on a stabbing spree at a shopping centre in Sydney's Bondi Junction. Five of the victims were women. As per New South Wales Police Force commissioner, the offender "focused on women and avoided the men" during his attack.
The protests also coincided with the murder of 30-year-old Erica Hay, who was a mother of four children. She was found dead after a house fire in Perth. A 35-year-old man, who is allegedly Hay's partner, has been charged with murder.
Tackling 'Toxic Male Extremist Views'
While launching a series of efforts to curb violence against women and gender-based violence, the Australian Prime Minister stated that all citizens must work towards tackling "toxic male extremist views".
Along with the Leave Violence campaign, the Australian government also announced the 'Stop It At The Start' campaign which will focus on flushing out violent and misogynistic content from online spaces.
"Today also we're announcing a suite of online measures to help combat toxic male extremist views about women online. When I've spoken to parents around the country, they expressed their concern about the exposure of young boys and young men to violent videos and imagery online," stated Albanese while announcing the campaign.
"This new phase will include a counter influencing campaign in online spaces where violent and misogynistic content thrives, to directly challenge the material in the spaces that it's being viewed," the PM added further.
Along with combating extremist views on social media platforms and OTT websites, the federal government has also introduced the plan for online age verification to reduce the exposure to pornography to young children.
Along with porn, the Australian government will also look into areas such as video games, which are known for display of violence.
The federal government also shared that they will focus on the missing and murdered First Nations women and children and the impact of domestic and family violence in Australia's indigenous communities.
