Governmental Response to Women’s Domestic Violence in Australia

Domestic violence has been a growing issue in Australia. Since the start of 2024, 28 women have died in a violent death allegedly at the hands of a man. Moreover, in April alone, 12 women died because of domestic violence done by their partner or former partner. Because of the increasing cases of domestic violence, the government has decided to take strict actions to rectify the heinous crime of domestic violence in Australia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced domestic violence against women as a “national crisis.” As the issue of gendered violence has gained a lot of attention over the last month, people have protested against the killing of women by domestic violence.

Taking all these things into account, the Prime Minister of Australia has called an urgent meeting of the national cabinet as he said:

“Violence against women is not a women’s problem to solve.”

PM Anthony Albanese Announcement About Gender Based Domestic Violence in Australia

During the meeting of the national cabinet, the Prime Minister highlighted the fact that once every four days, a woman is losing life at the hands of a domestic partner or a former domestic partner in Australia.

To resolve the issue of domestic violence in Australia, the Prime Minister has announced a “leaving violence payment” program. The federal government has fixed the funds of $925 million to run this program.

According to the “leaving violence payment” program, those escaping violence will be eligible for $5000 in financial support, safety assessments, and referrals to support pathways. Most of the women are living with a violent partner because they cannot afford to maintain a proper lifestyle alone. Furthermore, the Prime Minister mentioned that a lot of kids are forced to live a life without their mothers because of the domestic violence happening in Australia.

Another factor raised during the meeting of the national cabinet was banning deep-fake pornography with additional funding for the eSafety commissioner and the introduction of anti-doxing legislation, as banning deep-fake pornography is a significant factor behind the increased number of domestic violence cases. 

Communications minister Michelle Rowland emphasised the need for collaboration among governments, regulators, civil society, and online platforms to ensure online safety. Major steps will be taken to reduce exposure to violent pornography.

Longer-term priorities regarding the matter of violence against women include:

• Age-restricted online content.
• Bans on underage users.
• Accountability for perpetrators
• Early intervention of authorities.
• Better support for victim-survivors.
• Uniformity and effectiveness across the justice system for violent offenders.
• Plans for an age verification pilot to protect children from pornography.

Another suggestion to control Australian gendered violence was establishing a national offenders register, with discussions on shared data. The Leaving Violence program offers financial support and services for eligible victims, acknowledging the link between economic insecurity and violence.

Final Thoughts

Bearing domestic violence is equally sinful as committing domestic violence. If you are a victim of domestic violence and don’t know what steps you should take before it’s too late, don’t worry because we are here to help. Aussie Legal Partners is your right partner for walking out of a domestic household and raising your voice for your rights.

Our expert family lawyers are your best friends during the fight against domestic violence in Australia. We will stand by you on every step, not just as a lawyer but also as a mentor to help you take steps in the right direction, as it is not to make a decision, especially the right one, during such hard times.