Violence against women rallies: thousands attend protests as Mark Dreyfus rules out royal commission
GuardianApr 29
Australia Declares Domestic Violence a National Crisis
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The Facts
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a "national crisis" and an "epidemic" and called an urgent cabinet meeting after thousands protested across the country over the weekend seeking tougher laws to prevent gender-based violence.
Albanese, who joined protestors at a rally in the capital Canberra on Sunday, said that Australia must change its culture and legal system and that men must alter their behavior "to address this in a serious way."
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
This is an emergency, one that requires the Albanese government to take immediate action. A national emergency response is needed to tackle the ongoing pattern of violence against women, especially one where the authorities get on and actually tackle the epidemic of male violence instead of just merely talking about women's safety.
Pro-establishment narrative
There's no single solution to prevent gendered violence, as it's a cultural issue that will take time to fix. However, Australia's state and federal governments have gone beyond party politics and have been prioritizing results-based prevention strategies to drive the cultural change needed to reduce violence against women.