Australia is working to curb the "epidemic" of violence against women, with a focus on schools

Australia is working to curb the "epidemic" of violence against women, with a focus on schools

In Australian cities, protestors demanding an end to violence against women staged demonstrations.

"So, let's talk about porn," Ethan West says to the youngsters from Australia in the classroom. Most seem a little uncomfortable. Everyone is unusually silent.

"Do any porn videos start off with a connection with the actors talk about feelings or consent?" he asks. More quiet.

This is just one of the awkward conversations the 15-year-olds at Kellyville High School, north of Sydney, will be having today.

There is nothing off limits when it comes to the Love Bites program, which national charity Napcan has provided to thousands of students. Topics covered range from sexist jokes and coercive control to sexual assault and vicious attacks motivated by envy.

The term "respectful relationship education" seems a little too simple. However, it is being given in the midst of a "national crisis" caused by the violence against women in this nation. Fundamentally, it's about attempting to change the attitudes and behaviors that have shaped that culture.

The problem gained further attention after the high-profile stabbing deaths of six people at Sydney's Bondi Junction retail center last month, when police said that it was "obvious" that assailant Joel Cauchi targeted women.

Since then, at least three Australian women have reportedly been killed by boyfriends or ex-lovers.

28 women have been brutally murdered in Australia so far this year, according to the advocacy organization Destroy the Joint, which is in charge of the Counting Dead Women initiative. It was fifteen at the same time previous year.

64 women were murdered in 2023 by a person they knew. According to the UK's Counting Dead Women initiative, the figure was 100 in the nation with more than twice the population, the United Kingdom.

Tens of thousands of Australians participated in marches two weeks ago to demand that gendered violence be recognized as a national emergency.

As the group is handed little cards with phrases like "equality," "slut-shaming," and "sending unwanted nudes," student Shriya, who is attentively listening in the back of the classroom, adds, "For a young woman growing up in Australia, it's scary, knowing these things are happening."

The sentences are to be placed down a masking tape line on the floor, with the words "violence and abuse culture" at one end and "respect and consent culture" at the other.

Tara Gleig, a student support officer assisting with Love Bites, says, "Think of the line today as a metaphor for your gut feeling." Your body will alert you to problems as they arise. I want you to be aware of its location."

Ethan West is a senior constable with the New South Wales Police, and his involvement in responding to incidents involving domestic abuse has motivated him to address what he terms as a "epidemic".

In Australia, police are summoned to a domestic violence incident every two minutes, he claims. Additionally, he believes that domestic abuse has moved to a "new battlefield" for the younger generation.

"Everything is done online, including harassment and stalking. And exchanging private photos is a major source of relationship issues. Nude photographs are constantly being shared by young people. They could be shared with others if the partnership ends. That is a crime related to domestic abuse.

Growing up in Australia has left 16-year-old Kya, who participated in Love Bites a year ago, "on edge" due to the microaggressions of sexist comments, the fear of violence, and the sense that she is not as valuable as the guys in her class and community.

"There are so many new advances in society, but this is still something that's taking place" she continues. "You have someone making a sexist comment [but] really it's not that challenging to evolve from."

Although some of the lads in her year group are obviously devoted to achieving more, she believes that more boys in the group need to "step up".

Izaiah, the chattiest youngster in the session we see, says, "As a guy, I feel the need to be more masculine, more strong."

"Violence in relationships is quite severe. Growing up as an Australian adolescent involves learning a great deal about it."

However, transformation is elusive. Luke, the son of Rosie Batty, was slain ten years ago by his father, Greg Anderson. Ms. Batty went on to become one of the nation's leading advocates against family violence, although more tragic events have often sparked a national dialogue about the issue.

These include the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three young children, the vehicle was set on fire by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter in 2020; the shooting deaths of teenagers Jack and Jennifer Edwards, who were shot by their father John Edwards in 2018; and the death of a young woman named Lilie James, who was killed by Paul Thijssen last year after a brief relationship.

Therefore, even if the current epidemic of violence against women has put pressure on the federal and state governments to take action, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's appeal for social change is all too familiar.

Other worries are also present. Three persistent difficulties include the underfunding of mental health services, the historically deficient handling of domestic violence allegations by the police, and the disproportionate number of Indigenous Australians who are both victims and offenders of family violence.

"At the end of the day, educating young people and this programme flowing into schools is one piece of a very, very big puzzle," says Tara Gleig. "To be able to make change as well as [make] that generational culture, societal change, demands to be a collaborative approach."

On a freezing Australian Rules football field, under the floodlights Another community initiative in Melbourne's inner suburbs is attempting to achieve the same goal. They want to bring about change in what is perhaps the most stereotypically masculine aspect of Australian society: sports.

Matthew Holmes, 38, adds, "I've played football since I was a youngster. I've heard a lot of locker room banter. "I've been at teams where it was very blokey - which in itself was okay - although it did tend to devolve, particularly if you got alcohol involved."

Now that he is playing at West Brunswick, a club that has been established for over a century but started a women's team seven years ago in response to strong demand from females, he couldn't be happier. There, the culture has been gradually and purposefully changed by the shift.

In addition to enlisting outside assistance, new, inclusive changing rooms are being constructed.

"A large number of women and people from diverse gender backgrounds want to play sports and are entering traditionally male-dominated clubs," says Dominic Alford of Relationships Australia Victoria, whose Healthy Clubs program aims to address gender violence in the context of sports.

"such clubs may find it difficult to adjust to incorporate such individuals. In order for them to go out and have those talks with each other in their athletic clubs, as well as in their personal lives and in their communities, we teach about polite relationships and resilience development."

He claims that after the high-profile killings of women in Australia made news in recent weeks, sports clubs and businesses have contacted him in droves. 

For Kristy de Pelligrini, who grew up among football clubs, it has great personal significance. "We handled all the various chores around the property, played netball, and managed the canteen. That was all the men got to do, play football." She now competes for one of three women's teams in West Brunswick.

At the age of 11, teammate Nahkita Wolfe received a message telling her that, as a woman, she had to give up playing Australian Rules football.

"Australian culture and Australian identity is so defined by sport," she asserts. "It's something that unites us, it's something that brings us together, but yet... for half the number of people we're often not welcomed into those communities as well as that's obviously really distressing."

It's a gap that contributes to a larger issue.

"You speak to any woman pretty much, we'll be prepared to tell you about experiences of sexual assault, domestic violence, and more that they've experienced and I'm no exception," Nahkita adds.

"A lot of the experiences that I've had have been connected with men who have been able to get away with it, due to they've always been able to get away with everything due to they're good at sport."

Though slowly, progress is being made.

Australian Rules football player Conor Fowler, 26, says, "There were definitely a few posts that these days you wouldn't walk past anymore—things including 'girls can't play footy' or 'you play like a girl.'" Fowler has played the sport since he was a youngster.

"So what do you mean by that? People are [now] asking questions when they could hear anything. And asking something as basic as that prompts people to consider what they've said."

Although the current surge of violence has prompted people to consider solutions, experts on gender violence argue that government-funded initiatives are not a panacea.

"While money is always important, this is a problem that affects everyone," Senior Constable West states. The amount of money thrown at it won't matter if everyone performs their part; if we all work together, we can make a difference. A issue that not enough people are embracing and advocating cannot be solved with money.