Page 4045 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
In conclusion, Madam Deputy Speaker, it is important to understand that all of the statistics—and I think it is an accepted truth—are an underestimate of the actual problem. We know that the prevalence of domestic and family violence, sexual assault and violence against women more broadly in the ACT is the same across this country. This means that all of us, as members of this Assembly and as members of this community, need to be champions and stop violence wherever we see it and not accept any form of violence whatsoever.
I acknowledge Mrs Jones for bringing this important motion forward. It provides an opportunity for all of us to make public statements, because all of us have a role in preventing violence. I also acknowledge the role of the White Ribbon foundation and the many men in this chamber that are sponsors of or ambassadors for this great cause.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (11.26): I would like to thank Mrs Jones for bringing this motion to the Assembly today. It is an important topic to discuss and one well worthy of a discussion here today.
At the forefront of the White Ribbon campaign is the shocking statistic that each and every week in Australia a woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner. It is a staggering number. One woman every week in this country loses her life at the hands of a man that she knows—not a stranger; a man who is or has once been an intimate partner.
The White Ribbon campaign aims to end this violence. The campaign focuses on men, because ultimately they are the perpetrators of this violence. The White Ribbon foundation asks men to “swear” to take an oath never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women. It asks us to take a good, hard look at ourselves and question how we can possibly allow this violence to continue—as individuals, and as a community.
One of the key elements of the campaign is the way it taps into the vernacular, and speaks to men with language they use and can relate to, to encourage them to lead by example, to challenge sexist behaviour, and to talk with their mates about what is a very serious subject. The White Ribbon campaign has done a great job in engaging broadly with the community about men’s violence, and getting the conversation started in places where perhaps previously the issue may not have had prominence.
What do we know about domestic violence in the ACT, and what can be done at a policy level to make the kinds of changes that are needed to solve this shocking social problem? Experts cannot say exactly how many deaths can be linked to domestic violence here in the ACT. Some deaths can be clearly attributed as homicides, while others may be hidden by other issues. It is, however, estimated that each year domestic and family violence claim the lives of more than 100 people in Australia. Children, too, are tragically often victims.
The ACT Domestic Violence Crisis Service estimates that, in the 24 years between 1988 and 2012, 72 ACT deaths were caused by domestic violence—an average of three Canberrans every year. We know that reporting of domestic violence is on the increase. The Domestic Violence Crisis Service received 13,959 calls to its
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video