Experts have met in Canberra for a national roundtable on the domestic violence crisis

Justice for Jessica a much loved sister and daughter who lit up a room murdered by her husband in 2019. Her sister joining talks in Canberra today is called Grow to counter men’s violence against women. The end point is being murdered by this, but we know thousands upon thousands upon thousands of families. Are actually living this horror a focus of today’s talks? The disproportionate violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are 6 times more likely to die from family violence? As a Nunga woman, Alison Scott says First Nations women and those with lived experience must be listened to. That’s something that I hear often is that they want a voice and they never feel like they have it. Those at the talks also calling for a more trauma informed justice system that holds men accountable and better sharing of information across the country on high risk and serial reoffenders. There is never going to be a perfect time to change policy, invest more. We’ve just got to do it for two long women have been bundling up kids in the back of a car and fleeing family violence. Meanwhile, the man sits unaccountable without the resources, without the attention, without the focus on his behaviour that’s driving the crisis. Since these crisis talks were announced, more women have allegedly been murdered, highlighting the urgency for action.