In Hass we had the task of writing a letter to the MP about a current problem in Australia that we feel passionate about, and I chose violence against women. The purpose was to influence our MP into making a change about that current problem.

This is my letter:

Dear Mr Morton, 

I am writing to you as my local minister of parliament to communicate my profound concern about the ongoing battle that so many Australian women still face with violence. As one of the government’s key members your constituents look to you to influence government policy and action. This letter outlines what I believe all Australian women need to stay safe and which we expect our government to provide.

Women receive less than the bare minimum when it comes to support against violence. The most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim is when they leave the relationship and for 18 months afterwards. During this time, women need emergency accommodation to run to where they will be safe, as well as long term housing that they can transition to. Women do not currently have this, and the shelters that are available are hopelessly insufficient. If the government spent more money on short term and long term accommodation it would give women a safe and stable place to escape from a domestic violence relationship, as well as encourage women to leave those relationships in the first place. Other government support required includes: financial support, police protection, money, and therapy. By giving women a stable income, it can help them provide food for themselves and their children, basic hygiene, and education for their kids. Therapy is crucial for long term stability and reintegration into society. This is because the consequences of violence include increased incidences of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicide. Providing women with psychological support will help them overcome the trauma, get back on their feet and become a functional member of society.

In Australia we trust police with our lives. Police are supposed to keep us as a nation safe, but how are women supposed to feel secure in a country where they aren’t even safe in their own household? Noelene Beutel was a victim of domestic violence in Queensland before she was murdered. Six months before the murder Noelene was beaten so badly by her partner she ended up in hospital. Two policemen asked for her statement, but she was antagonistic – a response of fear and distress. The case was then dropped due to “poor response”.  Noelene is one of many domestic violence cases that could’ve ended up differently if the police pushed harder to get involved. When a domestic violence case is called the only way a man can be arrested or trailed is if the woman presses charges. Most women unsurprisingly don’t press charges and more than 60% of physical/sexual violence are not reported. Ages 18-24 and 25-34 have the highest rate of domestic violence, these ages are quite young, so forcing a young woman to press charges against a man who they fear more than anything is unreasonable and absurd. If the police in Australia took that extra step and pressed charges without the women having to make that decision then the number of domestic murder cases would drop significantly. The fact that 21% of homicides in Australia are domestic violence cases proves this is a vital thing to do. Changing the law is a power that the government has. I urge you to influence your colleagues to introduce this legislation immediately.

While supporting women already experiencing violence is incredibly important, preventing it is imperative, a step to do this is to inform young people on the matter before it’s too late. Teenagers at school are not currently educated on the risks of violence and the red flags to watch out for, the only reason we know about it in the first place is from social media. If schools took the initiative and taught kids both male and female about the problem then it would prevent future cases of physical, sexual, or domestic violence. 1 in 4 young people don’t think it’s serious when guys insult or verbally harass girls on the street. The culture that leads to men abusing women starts early and therefore it’s normalised. The saying adults teach kids ‘boys will be boys’, is an example of this. This dismisses distrustful and misogynistic behaviours which can lead to abuse later in life. 1 in 3 women in Australia will experience violence from an intimate partner, so teaching young women the warning signs will help them leave the relationship before it’s too late. Boys also need to be explicitly taught how to treat women with respect and what behaviours are unacceptable. Doing all of this will help prevent future generations of violence against women.

Mr Morton, I implore you, act now.  Don’t wait for even one more woman to suffer at the hands of men. You are in a privileged position as our representative to influence your peers in government and enact policies and laws which can make a real difference to the lives of women. This has gone on way too long.

Yours sincerely,

Kaiya Sikorska