What Were You Wearing Australia (WWYW) CEO Sarah Williams told Green Left Radio on April 10 that the national “No More” rallies over April 18–19 would “amplify survivors’ voices and push for policy changes”.
Multiple cities took part in this annual protest to support the fight against domestic and family violence.
WWYW is an Indigenous, youth-led charity dedicated to supporting survivors and advocating for a safer world for marginalised people.
Latest data reveals family and domestic violence offence rates have risen by 8%. This is the highest rate of family and domestic violence recorded since the Australian Bureau of Statistics began tracking the data.
While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in 2024 that gender-based violence had reached a point of national emergency, Williams said not enough is being done.
“Labor’s response still falls short of what’s needed. We see time and time again some announcements of funding packages, but often they’re reactive and not sustained [at the level that] actually is required. And then there’s also a gap between policy announcements and what’s actually reaching frontline services and communities.”
Seventeen cities rallied for an end to domestic, family, sexual violence and femicide.
Markela Panegyres reports from Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide that about 100 protesters said “No more” to domestic and sexual violence. After marching, speakers calling for funding for frontline grassroots and regional services, mandating domestic, family and sexual violence education, free counselling services, regulations on artificial intelligence and trauma-informed training for first responders. The rally also called for the decriminalisation of sex work in South Australia.
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