Nine months into 2019 and 45 Australian women have lost their lives to violence this year, according to Impact For Women. The majority of these deaths have been the result of male brutality.
But it feels as though not one high-profile man in the media has taken the time or used their power to draw attention to this very fact: women continue to die at the hands of violent men.
And I’m calling it: women need a Waleed Aly moment. We need someone in the limelight to make an informed, passionate speech about violence against women – and we need that moment to explode. Just like Aly’s emotional speech did after the Christchurch shooting. Australia listened.
But when we really take a look at things, was it Aly’s responsibility to speak up after the horrific attack? And is it a woman’s responsibility to speak-up after our female counterparts are abused? Of course, the minority deserves to have a voice, but the majority desperately needs to step up.
In the wake of Christchurch, what would have happened if one of Australia’s countless white news anchors had confirmed the very real reality that white supremacy groups existed in this country too?
People belonging to the ‘perpetrator’ group need to use their power to spread important messages – when you’re from this pack, you often hold more social-sway. Violent men – believe it or not – are less likely to listen to a woman when they talk about violence against women.
Here’s where collective responsibility comes into play. Collective Responsibility denotes the concept that a person is responsible for other people’s actions by tolerating, ignoring or harbouring them, despite the fact they haven’t participated in the action themselves.
It’s a hard pill to swallow for many, and that’s completely understandable. Most of us don’t want to associate with violence in any way. But we need to put ourselves there.
What perpetuates violence against women is not just the violent perpetrators – it’s the choices of non-violent men. It’s passivity and it looks like this:
- Not intervening when your female co-worker looks uncomfortable around a male colleague
- Not saying anything when your friend inappropriately interacts with a woman at a club
- Not protesting when your mate calls a woman a ‘bitch’ or ’slut’
- Not using your influence to condemn, and start a discussion, around violence against women
By remaining passive during these circumstances you’re sending a message: as a society, we tolerate this behaviour. That makes you part of the problem.
I am stuck with this question and it grows louder and louder while women continue to die at the hands of violence: Men, where is your outrage?