The content discusses the increased focus on measures against violent men who breach orders following the killing of multiple women. The Victoria Police’s submission to the royal commission called for the establishment of a disclosure scheme to register domestic violence offenders, similar to a model used in Britain. With the recent spate of women being murdered by men, there has been a call for better tracking of high-risk family violence offenders to prevent further tragedies. However, there is reluctance in the women’s safety sector to embrace this approach as it is not traditionally from the domestic violence sector.
The murders of Chaithanya Madhagani, Samantha Murphy, and Hannah McGuire by men have sparked a discussion on the need for better monitoring of perpetrating individuals. A proposal by criminologist Hayley Boxall to track high-risk offenders received support from women’s safety advocates, although there are differing opinions on its effectiveness. Violence researcher Kate Fitz-Gibbon believes that the recent women’s deaths are just the tip of a larger issue, and that systemic reform is necessary to address the problem. It is important to listen to survivors and address gaps in the system to prevent further violence.
The state government in Victoria has announced the establishment of a taskforce to investigate ways to curb violence against women, following the deaths of 10 women in April alone. Premier Jacinta Allan emphasized the need for collaboration across genders to address the root causes of men’s violence against women. The government is under pressure to act decisively and make meaningful changes to protect women from violence. There are calls for more funding for prevention programs and a recommitment to existing family violence support initiatives.
There are differing opinions on potential solutions to address violence against women. Some suggest allowing women to carry pepper spray for self-defense, while others argue that the focus should be on holding perpetrators accountable and changing societal norms around violence. The government is expected to introduce vilification reforms to address online threats and behavior that can escalate to physical violence. The opposition has criticized the government’s lack of progress in improving women’s safety despite a royal commission and a decade in power, highlighting the need for more effective approaches to prevent violence against women.
