Senator's brutal reality check on problem in Australian cultural: 'This is a men's issue'
Thirty women have been killed in domestic violence incidents in Australia in 2024 so far.
In the wake of the latest woman found brutally murdered, allegedly by a man known to her who was out on bail, Australian Senator David Pocock has issued an honest reality check for the country.
Police discovered the body of 28-year-old mum Molly Ticehurst inside a home in Forbes, in the NSW Central West around 1.50am on Monday. A NSW Police spokesman said Daniel Billings, 29, was later arrested an hour away from Forbes at Fifield and has been charged with murder (domestic violence) and contravening a prohibition/restriction in an AVO (Apprehended Violence Order).
According to the Red Heart Campaign, which tracks Australian women killed as a result of violence, Ticehurst is the 30th woman killed this year and the 10th woman lost to violence in the past 22 days.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday, Senator Pocock called it a "men's issue", that is not receiving enough attention. "It's hard to see how anyone's doing enough," he said, when asked if the government was adequately tackling to scourge of domestic violence.
"This is framed as a women's issue but clearly, this is first and foremost a men's issue."
The independent senator continued by saying "we have a huge cultural issue" that needs to be "tackled". "This is going to take far more than some extra funding. This is a fundamental shift in the way that we treat women in this country. It's deeply, deeply troubling.
"I would love to see more action from the government. But ultimately, it is up to all of us to be having these conversations and shifting things."
Change to domestic violence policing yet to have impact
In July 2023, after 38 women were killed in family and domestic violence, including nine in 16 days, NSW began to set up an Australian-first register to monitor repeat domestic violence offenders to overhaul how police deal with serious attacks on women.
At the time, the public was told officers would be given special training under the changes, with a dedicated team also providing oversight and monitoring of high-risk perpetrators. Legal specialists and a consultant psychologist would also be on board to help connect victims with support services and guide them through the legal process.
Despite this and other initiatives in the works, the number of women killed in 2024 is edging closer and closer to matching that of 2023.
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