Thousands gather across country calling for end to gender-based violence

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A powerful movement is sweeping the country as thousands of protesters raise their voices calling for an end to gender-based violence. Advocates are warning the situation has reached crisis levels after a troubling wave of women being killed by men.

Transcript

00:00 Fed up and fired up. Across the country thousands marched, demanding an end to violence against

00:07 women. No more violence, no more rape!

00:12 A wave of anger and frustration as protesters in Sydney made their voices heard.

00:17 I think the government needs to declare this devastating thing that's happening to women

00:22 as a national emergency.

00:23 I'm here with my partner and her family because I believe that men need to do better in Australia.

00:28 We won't take it anymore.

00:30 Sparked by a troubling string of women being killed allegedly at the hands of men, including

00:35 Samantha Murphy in Ballarat and Molly Ticehurst in Forbes. Organisers say this year one woman

00:41 has been murdered every four days in Australia.

00:45 We need legislative changes, legal changes, but above all we need cultural change.

00:56 In Adelaide, women, men and children stood on the steps of state parliament calling on

01:00 the government to take action.

01:02 It's just gone on for too long and like I say we just need the politicians to step up.

01:06 This is an epidemic that requires the full resources of government at all levels.

01:13 A show of solidarity in Hobart too.

01:16 Especially to young men to call out misogyny and call out abuse when you see it.

01:23 The message both here and around the country is that urgent action is needed to deal with

01:28 what's now being called a national crisis.

01:34 The federal government has ruled out a royal commission saying it should focus on implementing

01:39 its national policies.

01:41 We've committed some $2.3 billion in measures since we've come to office. We have a national

01:48 plan to counter violence against women.

01:52 Protesters will continue spreading their message around the country tomorrow with the Prime

01:56 Minister joining the march in Canberra.

01:59 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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