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How
Many More Deaths Will it Take?
“How
many more deaths will it take?”
asks WESNET
Chair Pauline Woodbridge, “before
the Commonwealth seriously tackles the systemic violence suffered by
Indigenous women in Australia.
A
recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report* shows that
Indigenous Women are 12 times more likely to be murdered than
non-Indigenous women.
“This
is a shocking fact” said Shirley
Slann WESNET’s National Indigenous representative, “the
amount of violence endured by Indigenous women and children is
untenable.”
Ms
Slann goes on to say, “the report findings that the more remotely
people live, the more likely they are affected by this particular
major cause of death, does not surprise me”.
Ms Slann who works in the rural and remote region of the
North West Queensland is talking to the community members everyday.
“The lack of services in rural and remote areas is
appalling, services could help stop some of this violence and assist
communities to find solutions to the endemic violence against women
and children but the lack of dollars, the rigid funding guidelines and
lack of will to work with communities, all contributes to the
continuation of this appalling situation”.
Sue
Brownlee Northern Territory representative for WESNET said “the
problem is getting worse, when will the Australian people give all its
citizens a “fair go” and demand that our government turn their
attention to the very real problems being borne by the Indigenous and
non Indigenous women and children of this land?”
Terrorism
on the world stage? said Terri Francis WESNET’s Tasmanian representative.
We have terrorism happening in our homes, in our suburbs, in
our communities - lets not forget that. It is clear from all the
latest research, most of it funded by governments, that violence
against women and children is a huge and costly societal problem”.
“In
fact”, said
Ms Woodbridge, it costs Australia $8.2 billion per year.
“Currently the Commonwealth Government is spending our tax
money on its election promises, while women and children continue to
die from violence. This country should provide safety for all its
citizens. When can Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous women
expect to be safe?
For
comment please contact:
Pauline
Woodbridge, National
Chairperson, 07 47 212888 or 0419 739774
Terri
Francis, Tasmanian Representative, 03 6344 6535 or 0419
340 643
Julie Oberin,
Victorian
WESNET Representative, 0419 539
346
*Helps,
Y.L.M & Harrison, J.E. (2004) "Reported injury mortality of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia,
1997-2000". Injury Technical Series No4. (AIHW cat. no. INJCAT
66) Adelaide:AIHW.
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