PM calls out men in wake of death

Vow to act on violence

Anthony Albanese has vowed to take “every measure” to address domestic violence after another woman was allegedly murdered by an ex-partner.

The Prime Minister has called on men and boys to speak out more after the body of 28-year-old mother-of-one Molly Ticehurst was found at her home in the NSW Central West on Monday morning.

Police later arrested her former partner, a 29-year-old man, who has been charged with her murder.

Ms Ticehurst is the 25th woman to have been allegedly murdered in Australia his year.

Her death comes more than a week after five women and one man were killed when a 40-year-old Queensland man went on a stabbing rampage at Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction.

Mr Albanese on Tuesday condemned a “horrific” rise in violence and said the country needed to “do better” to ensure the safety of women and children.

“We all have a responsibility to do what we can to address what is a scourge of violence against women,” Mr Albanese told ABC.

“The fact that more than one woman per week has died at the hands of someone that they know, whether it’s a partner or someone in a relationship, is just completely unacceptable.”

The research group Counting Dead Women Australia says at least 25 women have died from acts of violence in Australia as of April 22.

Figures from White Ribbon Australia estimate that one woman on average is murdered every nine days.

White Ribbon chief executive Melissa Perry said the data paints a picture of a “national crisis” and called on governments to urgently prioritise responding to family and domestic violence.

“We need to mobilise as a nation to say this is simply unacceptable and won’t be tolerated any longer,” Ms Perry said. “Greater investment is needed across all areas of the family domestic violence and abuse sector.

“This includes primary prevention strategies and education campaigns to stop violence before it starts, behaviour change programs for men who have chosen to use violence, and victim-survivor support services.”

The federal government has committed about $2.3bn to women’s safety and family and domestic violence support, including $169m for states and territories to deliver an extra 500 frontline domestic violence workers to communities.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth told the ABC in March that 17 of the 500 domestic violence staff had started work, saying Labor needed to “work hard” to fulfil its election promise to get more workers on the ground.

Independent Senator David Pocock said while more funding was needed to bolster domestic violence services in states and territories, rising rates of violence against women was ultimately a societal issue.

“This is framed as a women’s issue but clearly, this is first and foremost a men’s issue,” Senator Pocock said.