2018-06-20
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — Like everyone I was shocked and sickened by the brutal and senseless murder of Eurydice Dixon. I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. Many people have spoken in recent days in the community, in the media and in the Parliament about the underlying causes of violence against women and what needs to be done to challenge them. Women are assaulted and raped every day, mostly by men they know and in their own homes. The culture underpinning this is deep and will take a sustained effort to turn around. We know we still have a long way to go when we hear young men, teenagers and even young boys speaking about women and young girls in disparaging ways and putting them down. Parents, particularly fathers, need to challenge this whenever it occurs. Preschools and schools need to build respect and equality into their everyday activities; many already do, but we still have a long way to go. I welcome the inquiry by the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission into sexual harassment in the workplace that was announced today.