Anthony Albanese’s new measures to help tackle violence against women have been slammed as ‘disgraceful’ for ignoring the realities women face when fleeing abusive relationships.
The Prime Minister has set aside $925 million over the next five years to help women leaving abusive relationships, as part of a broad plan to tackle the crisis – with a woman dying every four days in Australia at the hands of their partner.
Under the scheme, women at risk are eligible for a $5,000 grant.
Immediately after a National Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Mr Albanese also announced a plan to ‘introduce legislation to ban the creation and distribution of deep fake pornography’ to combat ‘toxic male attitudes online’.
‘Violence against women is not a women’s problem that needs to be solved. It is a social problem that needs to be solved. Men in particular need to take responsibility,” he said.
Dr. Jess Ison, a researcher at La Trobe Rural Health School, told Daily Mail Australia that while eSafety and youth education are crucial for long-term prevention, she questioned whether the move was a band-aid solution to a complex problem.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened a national cabinet meeting on Wednesday to tackle violence against women
The Prime Minister is pictured at a protest calling for action to tackle the crisis
‘What always worries me at times like this is that one or two things get funded and announced in a knee-jerk reaction, but there is no sustainable and much bigger approach.
‘There is no quick and easy solution, but sometimes it seems as if the government thinks it can just throw money at it.’
Dr. Kirsty Duncanson, a senior lecturer in crime and justice, echoed the sentiment and asked questions whether it was a “deception to focus on pornography.”
“The focus here should be on high-risk offenders and serial killers,” she said.
‘Governments must look at improving police responses to people experiencing violence… especially for marginalized groups.
“What we need to do is focus on what is happening in everyday life and the systemic gender inequality that already exists in society.”
The pair also fear that the one-off $5,000 payment for women fleeing abusive relationships “will run out very quickly.”
Dr. Ison said without sustainable support for long-term housing and mental health care, women may feel they have no choice but to return to the abusive relationship.
“Money isn’t everything, but it definitely helps,” she said. But it’s not the whole story.’
Greens women’s spokesperson Larissa Waters said the government’s plan does not go far enough.
Greens spokesperson for women Larissa Waters was critical of the policy
The Prime Minister has set aside $925 million over the next five years to help women leaving abusive relationships, as part of a broad plan to tackle the crisis – with a woman dying every four days in Australia at the hands of their partner.
“$925 million over 5 years? Is that all women get?’ she asked.
‘To help them connect with support services – but not to FUND those services?! Who receive only half the financing needed to meet demand? After 50 BILLION on Defense? And no national prevention program or government-managed DV death toll?
‘Scandalous.’
Ms Waters argues that the Government should have prioritized funding for frontline support services that help women in at-risk groups.
Instead, she said the policy will “simply increase demand in an already stressed sector.”
“The industry has called for $1 billion a year to help everyone who asks for it, and the federal government is providing just under half of that. Nothing about today’s announcement addresses this woeful underfunding.
“The pittance for women’s safety today, after the $50 billion Defense budget announced last week, is an indictment of the government’s priorities.
‘Nothing for frontline services. Nothing for housing. No new money for prevention. No DV death toll collected by the government instead of volunteers.’
Protesters are pictured marching in solidarity during the ‘No More!’ National meeting against violence in Melbourne
