Domestic and Family Violence Prevention - Motion
Wednesday 14 May 2025
S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (11:24): I rise today to support this important motion and acknowledge the critical importance of Domestic Violence Prevention Month this May and to express my unequivocal support for the Malinauskas government's steadfast commitment to addressing one of the most pressing social crises of our time: domestic and family violence.
This month is not only a time for reflection; it is a call to action. We recognise that domestic violence is not a private matter. It does not discriminate by postcode, income, culture or creed. It weaves its destruction through our communities in silence, in secrecy and too often in shame. While its victims suffer behind closed doors, we as leaders must ensure our response is loud, visible and uncompromising.
Domestic Violence Prevention Month is a solemn reminder. We remember the lives lost—women and children whose names should never have become headlines. We stand beside those survivors who are courageously rebuilding their lives. And above all, we recommit ourselves to a future where every person feels safe in their home, in their relationships, in their workplace and in their communities.
We must speak plainly: domestic violence is a societal issue. To change society, we must first change culture. That begins with men. Not in theory, in action: men have a crucial role to play in challenging the cultural and systemic norms that have for too long enabled violence to flourish. It is not enough to say, 'I don't hurt women.' We must actively challenge sexism, call out abusive behaviour and refuse to remain silent when we witness harm.
To be clear, we condemn in the strongest possible terms all forms of domestic violence, be it physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial. We acknowledge that this violence disproportionately affects women and children and that its trauma is long-lasting, reverberating through generations. There is no excuse. There is no justification. There is only the imperative to act.
This government has taken real and meaningful steps, strengthening support services, investing in prevention and pursuing legal reforms to better protect victims and hold perpetrators to account. These are not small efforts. They are life-changing and, in many cases, life-saving. But there is always more to be done, because until no woman lives in fear and no child sleeps in danger, our work is not finished.
Let us also acknowledge the ongoing and damaging societal tendency to disbelieve, to discredit or to silence women who come forward. We do not subject other victims of crime to the same scrutiny, and we must interrogate why that is. We must believe survivors, support them and centre their voices in our policy and public discourse. I commend the Malinauskas government for its commitment to robust legal protections, accessible support services and public education campaigns that target the roots of abuse, not just the consequences.
Ending domestic violence will not be achieved by governments alone. It requires a whole of society effort. It requires courage, in homes, schools, workplaces and on our streets. It requires a culture where violence is not hidden, tolerated or excused, but confronted, exposed and eradicated. Let us in this chamber and beyond be leaders in that cultural shift. Let us foster a South Australia where silence is no longer tolerated, where survivors are met with support and where every person, regardless of gender, can live free from fear. This is our shared responsibility, and it is a responsibility we must all meet. I commend this motion to the house.
