Today hundreds marched through the streets of Hobart, for day five of the sixteen days of activism against gendered based violence.
This comes after yesterday’s incredibly powerful House of Assembly motion recommitting the parliament in condemning all forms of violence against women and committing all elected members to put politics aside and work collaboratively on creating a safer, equal Tasmania.
Yesterday’s motion to the House of Assembly comes a decade after the original White Ribbon Day joint motion was tabled in 2014.
The Greens proudly stand in solidarity with all members of parliament to eliminate violence against women. Domestic, sexual, and family violence have no place in a modern, fair Tasmanian society.
Ending violence against women in a generation requires all members of parliament to rise above politics and work constructively to find solutions, to bravely speak up and call out unacceptable behaviour.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone. This proactive recommitment is an important message to Tasmanian’s, that we see and believe you, that we will not tolerate gendered violence. It is also a time to admit when our systems have failed in the past and to address where we must step do more for women fleeing unsafe situations.
Ten years after the original white ribbon day motion is also an essential time for revision, as we face emerging challenges such as technology facilitated gender-based violence, through things like app-based location tracking. We know that family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and Tasmania desperately needs more rapid rehousing and more fit for purpose social housing for families.
We must continue to invest in education for the next generation of Tasmanians, at home and in schools, about consent and respectful relationships. And we must address the drivers of violence such as gambling and alcohol additions.
The Greens thank all the organisations who work tirelessly to keep Tasmanian women and children safe, who stand beside victim-survivors and help them recover from great trauma.
Tabatha Badger MPs speech on the House of Assembly motion, 28 November 2024.
