Comedian found raped and murdered in Melbourne park

THE alleged rape and murder of a young comedian in Australia as she walked home at night has unleashed an outpouring of public grief and anger about violence against women.

Eurydice Dixon, 22, was killed just hours after performing in Melbourne’s Highlander bar.

In a poignant last text message to her boyfriend, she wrote: “I’m almost home safe. HBU? [how about you?]” reported The Age.

Her body was found on a park football field in the early hours of Wednesday and a man, 19, has been charged after handing himself in to police.

Dixon’s death has evoked memories of the 2012 murder of Jill Meagher, 29, an Irish woman, in a nearby suburb.

The attack on Meagher, who was also walking home alone after a night out, generated public outrage and prompted a peace march of 30,000 people.

There have been calls on social media to honour the aspiring comedian, who was known for her passion for women’s rights and social issues, with a similar public gathering. However, advice from the Victoria state police that people should “consider their personal safety and be aware of their surroundings” has also sparked a backlash over victim blaming, with many women expressing their anger that they cannot walk home alone without having to look over their shoulder.

In a series of tweets, Daniel Andrews, Victoria’s Premier, entered the debate, commenting that violence against women would not change until men changed, reported ABC news.

“Our message to Victorian women is: Stay home. Or don’t. Go out with friends at night. Or don’t. Go about your day exactly as you intend, on your terms. Because women don’t need to change their behaviour. Men do,” he said.

Fiona Mccormack, chief executive of Domestic Violence Victoria, told ABC Radio Melbourne that “we really need to challenge the concept of that male sense of entitlement about using violence.”

She added: “When we think about crime in our community, any type of violent crime, we have an issue around gender.

“That’s not saying all men are violent and that’s not saying there’s something inherently evil in men, it’s something about our culture.”