TV host Lisa Wilkinson has this morning taken time out from the usual Today Show programming to deliver a powerful editorial on domestic violence.
In it, Wilkinson discusses the alarmingly rising rates of domestic violence related deaths in Australian households.
And the lack of movement from the government in stopping this accelerating crisis.
Twitter was awash with praise for Wilkinson following the segment.
@TheTodayShow @Lisa_Wilkinson Very moving segment my 💜 goes out to those women who r household names for the wrong reason #StopTheViolence
Powerful @Lisa_Wilkinson on @TheTodayShow it's all too frequent these days and has to stop. Our country has had enough #StopTheViolence
Thank you, @Lisa_Wilkinson for keeping the focus on #VAW & asking why we haven't heard from the Minister for Women #countingdeadwomen
Wilkinson's editorial touched on yesterday's wave of domestic violence stories in Brisbane, most notably the death of Tara Brown, a young mother who was allegedly driven off the road by an ex-partner and beaten.
The full statement is as follows:
"I want to run some names by you."
"Masa Vukotic. Alison Baden-Clay. Jill Meagher. Stephanie Scott. Lisa Harnum. Warriena Wright."
"Just a handful of the names of women we shouldn't know, but names we will never forget because of the tragic way in which we know their lives ended."
"Yesterday we added a new name to that list. Tara Brown, a 24-year-old mum from the Gold Coast. Tara died yesterday after allegedly being viciously bashed while trapped in the car she had just crashed after her ex-partner forced her off the road."
"Last Thursday, in fear of her life, Tara had gone to the police for help to leave her partner but was turned away and told to seek help elsewhere. Tara leaves behind a three-year-old daughter, who she had just dropped off at childcare."
"Tara's tragic death came on a day when another thug in Queensland who bashed his girlfriend until she passed out, walked free from court. While questions were being asked about yet another with a criminal history allowed out on bail to kill mother-of-two Jodi Eaton. On a day when a woman was shot dead in broad daylight at a McDonald's on the Gold Coast, and another was attacked with a machete."
"And as we mourn the death of a Sydney grandmother and her seven-year-old grandson allegedly at the hands of her own son."
"Violence against women in this country has now reached epidemic proportions."
"Sixty-two women have died in 2015 and its only September. That's almost two women a week. And this is all happening against a backdrop of women's refuges being closed, as calls to the national crisis assistance line go unanswered due to lack of funding, and we rely on a system that turns women like Tara and her young daughter away, in their moment of greatest need."
"And the thing we know? It will happen again. And again. And again. But how many more women have to die before we do something?"
"As we know, the behaviour we walk past is the behaviour that we condone."
"If you or anyone you know is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero."
"Otherwise, call 1800 RESPECT for around the clock counselling for people suffering sexual assault, domestic or family violence."
"And as we consider these 62 women and children who've lost their lives due to domestic violence, let us all consider what we as a nation can do to tackle this scourge on our society."
