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This is the speech I gave to the women's justice rally in Naarm (Melbourne) today. I call it: "He killed our sister ..." ❤️ He killed our sister while she was out running. He killed our sister while she was walking with her mates. He killed our sister while she was at the shops with her baby. He killed our sister while she was sleeping in her bed. He killed our sister and dumped her in a wheelie bin. He killed our sister while she was being neighbourly. He killed our sister after he had been bailed for rape and assault. He killed our sister while she was taking her son to after school activities – and then he killed her son He killed our sister while she was giving aid to people in crisis. He killed our sister while she was on holidays. He killed our sister on International Women’s Day. He killed our sister after he lured her to his home with promises of change. He killed our sister and then tried to hide the crime by driving over her with farming machinery. He killed our sister while she was seeking treatment in hospital. He killed our sister and then claimed she suicided. ❤️ When we get angry about our sisters being murdered. They tell us: NOT ALL MEN. WOMEN DO IT TO. SHE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO DESERVE IT YOU’RE A FEMINAZI AND A MYSANDRIST WHAT IS A WOMAN? GET IN THE KITCHEN AND MAKE ME A SANDWICH. ❤️ As I speak, the lives of 32 Australian women have been erased in 2024. Eleven were allegedly killed by their current or former partners. A further five women were allegedly killed by other family members. Nine of the women were allegedly murdered by people they knew (but who were not family members). Eight women were killed by strangers. The youngest woman was just 22 years old. The oldest was 81. Some had disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. Some were well off – others were living below the poverty line. These women came from all cultures, all parts of society. 20 of the victims were mothers. 31 of the 32 women killed this year, were allegedly lost to male violence. I cannot be more clear on this – gendered violence is the key cause of femicide in Australia. We women are marching this weekend because we want to make it clear, that violence against women is not a woman’s problem to fix. As women, we shoulder the burden of organising rallies. We are the ones lobbying for more investment in support services and much-needed legislation changes. It’s us women who do the unrelenting task of documenting lives lost. And it’s women who pick up the pieces after violence. As a woman I am tired. And I know most women here are exhausted from the constant need to be alert for ourselves and for our sisters. We can’t change the story for the women killed this year and in years past. But we can remember and honour them. We can show they matter. ❤️ These are the women we have lost to violence this year: Janice Walker 68 Urangan, Queensland Nerol Doble 65 Bribbaree, New South Wales Alison (Ali) Robinson 39 Glenorchy, Tasmania Keira Marshall 29 Morayfield, Queensland Alana Martin 30 Owanyilla, Queensland Vyleen White 70 Redbank Plains, Queensland Antoinette (Toni) Tozer 76 Rosewater, South Australia Donna Baraket 60 Tweed Heads, New South Wales Samira Kamaleddine 81 Bankstown, New South Wales Amarjit Kaur Sardar 41 Woodhill, Queensland Rebecca Young 42 Sebastopol, Victoria Min (Sue) Cho (and her son) 41 North Parramatta, New South Wales Bonnie Lee Anderson 39 Charnwood, Australian Capital Territory Natasha Nibizi 29 Doolandella, Queensland Samantha Murphy 51 Ballarat, Victoria Wendy Lee George 60 Evans Head, New South Wales Joanne Perry 53 Lower plenty, Victoria Chaithanya (Swetha) Madhagani 35 Buckley, Victoria Mauwa (Melanie) Kizenga 22 Balga, Western Australia Zomi Frankcom 43 Gaza Strip, Palestine Unnamed woman 66 Fortitude Valley, Queensland Hannah McGuire 23 Scarsdale, Victoria Tara Marie Morrison 38 Broadwater, Western Australia Dr Ashlee (Ash) Good 38 Bondi Junction, New South Wales Dawn Singleton 25 Bondi Junction, New South Wales Jade Young 47 Bondi Junction, New South Wales Pikria Darchia 55 Bondi Junction, New South Wales Yixuan Cheng 27 Bondi Junction, New South Wales Lesley Stillman 67 Carramar, Western Australia Molly Ticehurst 28 Forbes, New South Wales Emma Bates 49 Cobden, Victoria Erica Hay 30 Warnbro, WA

Another woman has been murdered. Our epidemic of violence toll is rising so fast right now. Mother-of-five Rebecca Young was murdered last night in an apparent murder-suicide at Sebastapol, Victoria. Her killer was her partner. Like the cowardly thug he was, he ended his own life. Rebecca is the 11th woman killed this year and the sixth murdered in just 17 days. All the women killed this year have been murdered by men with all but two perpetrators known to the victims.

❤️SHE MATTERS: MARIA DIMASI!❤️ For the second time in two days, I am documenting the face and the name of another Australian woman killed. This is 85-year-old Maria Dimasi. On Saturday evening, police found her murdered in her home at Findon, SA. Her husband is in custody in hospital. Maria is the 70th Australian woman killed in 2023 and the eighth woman killed since November 16. Maria was an amazing member of her community and an incredible Aussie. She was a great-grandmother, grandmother and mother. She loved to cook and would often share her dishes and recipes with people in her neighbourhood. It's reported she was in good health - despite many commentators taking to social media to say her death was some sort of act of 'mercy'. Hint. Murder is not an act of mercy - It never has been and never will be. No matter a woman's age or health, she deserves to live her life in peace and to die without violence. RIP MARIA DIMASI! ❤️ ❤️The Memorial to Women and Children Lost to Violence: TheREDHEARTCampaign.org ❤️The Australian Femicide & Child Death Map: bit.ly/red-hearts I document ALL unlawful deaths of women and children, regardless of perpetrator gender or relationship between the person killed and the accused. This means not every death is due to domestic and family violence. Australians are also killed by strangers, friends, colleagues, neighbours and other people known to them. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP PLEASE CALL: ❤️1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732 ❤️Women's Crisis Line: 1800 811 811 ❤️Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491 ❤️Mensline: 1300 789 978 ❤️Lifeline (24 hours): 131 114

Five women killed in 10 days. 57 women killed in 11 months. Another woman was murdered yesterday. Another male is in police custody. How many is too many? ❤️