Thousands of people have demonstrated across Australia to raise awareness about domestic violence and demand more government action.
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00:00 Hey, hey, ho, ho, gang violence, where do you go?
00:04 Taking to the streets, demanding action against domestic violence.
00:09 From Australia's major cities to smaller towns,
00:12 the message from thousands of protesters is clear.
00:16 Enough is enough.
00:18 I think the government needs to declare this devastating thing
00:22 that's happening to women as a national emergency.
00:25 Enough women have died just, it's really upsetting.
00:28 We're humans, we're human, we shouldn't be getting killed.
00:31 The rallies were sparked by a sharp rise in violence
00:34 against women in the country.
00:36 This year so far, 27 women have been murdered by men known to them.
00:41 That's one woman every four days.
00:44 The figure is almost double compared to the same period last year.
00:49 These protesters want more support and services
00:52 for the victims of family violence and sexual assault
00:56 and tougher criminal laws on gendered brutality,
00:59 including tighter controls on restraining orders and bail restrictions.
01:04 This also comes in the wake of a mass stabbing in Sydney
01:08 at a Bondi Junction shopping centre
01:10 where six people were killed, including five women.
01:13 Police believe the male perpetrator targeted women.
01:17 Speaking at a rally in the nation's capital, Canberra,
01:21 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
01:24 said the issue a national crisis.
01:27 We're here as well to say that society and Australia must do better.
01:34 That's right! It must do better!
01:38 We need to change the culture, we need to change attitudes.
01:43 We need to change the legal system.
01:46 We need to change the approach by all governments.
01:50 Because it's not enough to support victims.
01:54 We need to focus on the perpetrators and focus on prevention.
01:59 Demonstrators want Albanese to turn this talk into action.
02:03 The leader has ordered an emergency cabinet meeting
02:06 to address the rise in violence.
02:08 But the government has so far declined calls
02:10 for an independent public inquiry into the issue,
02:14 instead doubling down on the policy framework implemented in 2022
02:18 to stamp out domestic violence through education and early intervention.
02:23 People from all walks of life participated in the demonstration,
02:27 but some thought the gender balance was off.
02:30 There are more women here than men, it's obvious,
02:33 but there are lots of men here and I know a lot of men,
02:37 they don't...
02:39 They're not in support of the violence,
02:42 so it would be really nice to see them actively opposing the violence.
02:49 Out on the streets, these protesters say the change in Australia
02:53 needs to begin inside its homes, with better education and awareness.
02:58 But the beginning of that change is evident here at these rallies,
03:02 as protesters overcome anger, fear and grief
03:05 to take to the streets in numbers
03:07 in a plea for action for current and future generations.
03:11 Ryan Wu and Bruisi Greninja for Taiwan Plus.
03:15 [BLANK_AUDIO]