The shocking death of Ballarat woman Tamara Farrell has reignited anger and frustration within the community. The Courier journalist Rochelle Kirkham explains why we need to discuss the national crisis of violence against women.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Another woman is dead.
A woman who herself was an advocate for women's safety and a vocal campaigner against violence against women.
Friends, family and colleagues are mourning the death of Tamara Farrell.
She is one of nine Australian women who have been murdered this year: 21-year-old Aiia Maasarwe, a 31-year-old unnamed woman, 54-year-old Lily Pereg, 49-year-old Julie Rush, Darshika Withana aged in her 40s, 63-year-old Elia Coluccio, 40-year-old Megan Kirley, 76-year-old Helen Mouawad and now 31-year-old Tamara Farrell.
That is nine women too many.
We owe it to Tamara, to Dannyll, to the eight other women killed this year and 69 killed last year, to make our voice heard.
Writing their names and thinking about their lives cut short makes me feel sick to the stomach. And oh so angry.
It is a feeling of anger that is amplified for so many in our community after hearing of such tragedy on our back doorstep.
Tamara is the second woman to be killed in four months in Ballarat.
Dannyll Goodsell was killed in her Mount Pleasant home in October.
Tamara's death has reignited those same feelings of shock and horror within the Ballarat community, re-opening wounds that are still raw.
It is more than just me who is angry now and has been so for far too long.
Ballarat's deputy mayor has fought back tears as he described Tamara as "warm, generous and extraordinary".
Tributes have flooded in from friends and colleagues.
The conversation about Tamara's life has included her own social media campaign against violence against women.
The 31-year-old shared posts about domestic violence, toxic masculinity and self-defence techniques for women on her own Facebook page.
Earlier this month, Ms Farrell reflected on the four Australian women who were killed by men so far this year.
"Already there's been four women killed," she wrote on Facebook. "And we're only a month into the new year."
I understand for many, Tamara's death may have created a feeling of anxiety and fear of speaking out.
But we need to keep speaking publicly about violence against women - for women like Tamara and Dannyll who can no longer speak.
And as a community, we need to ensure those who do speak out know they have the support of Ballarat - support from people who recognise their courage, resilience, strength and power.
Federation University associate professor Dr Elisa Backer is one powerful woman who is supporting victims of violence to speak out.
She has heard the horrifying stories of dozens of women as part of research for her second PhD on how shared parental responsibility impacts family violence victims and their children after separation.
Elisa said she has had people tell her to increase her home security and 'watch her back' for campaigning against family violence.
She said while we don't know whether there is any relationship between Tamara's campaigning and her death - even if they are unrelated - it will likely increase the fear that already exists for speaking out.
"Perpetrators of violence against women rely on fear. Speaking out gives women power which is undesirable by some perpetrators," she said.
I look to the movement and change family violence campaigner Rosie Batty has created by sharing her story.
People like her have shown thousands of women around the country experiencing violence that they are not alone.
READ MORE: Hear Rosie Batty's message to Ballarat
We cannot let this issue fade into the background of public dialogue until another woman is killed.
Change needs to happen now.
We need all members of the community to share the message of treating women and each other with dignity and respect.
We need to say victim blaming and disbelief is an unaccepted mentality.
We need support and a change in attitude where victims are believed, to stop violence from becoming intergenerational.
We need to keep violence against women on the political agenda.
We need men to recognise they are the most critical part of the solution - gender equality is the key driver to preventing violence against women.
We should educate primary school and secondary school students about acceptable behaviours toward women and violence against women at a level that is appropriate for their age.
As Elisa has said in the past, closing ourselves and saying this is an adult's issue or a women's issue is not helpful.
To the women of Ballarat and beyond, please seek help if you need it.
Personal Safety Survey data from 2016 shows nine out of ten women who experienced sexual assault by a male did not contact the police about the most recent incident.
Speaking out gives you power.
We owe it to Tamara, to Dannyll, to Aiia, to Lily, to all of the women murdered to make our voice heard - for they can speak no more.
This is not a women’s issue. It is a societal issue.
Attitudes towards women need to change now. Or we will continue feeling sick to the stomach when we hear another woman has become victim to violence and brutality.
If you or someone you know needs support contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.