In 2013, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that almost one in five Australian women and one in 20 Australian men had experienced violence at the hands of an intimate partner. It found a staggering 25 per cent of all women aged 18 years and over and 14 per cent of all men aged 18 and over had suffered emotional abuse at the hands of an intimate partner since they were 15.

Worse, between 40 and 60 per cent of families that had reported partner violence also reported child abuse.

This year, the Australian Institute of Criminology found that in 2011-2012, three quarters of intimate partner homicide victims were women. 

Distilled right down, one woman is killed each week in Australia through an act of family or intimate partner violence.

Yet somehow this epidemic does not get the recognition as the national crisis it is. Imagine if 52 Australians were murdered in a single act of terrorism – the outcry and calls for immediate action would be deafening.

While we fully support the intention of White Ribbon Month to focus attention on violence against women, we also believe much more is required if we are ever going to see a satisfactory reduction in these shameful statistics.

A tectonic change in attitude to what is acceptable behaviour within relationships is critical but it is no easy task. Children who have grown up as witnesses to family or intimate partner violence are likely to take on that behaviour in later life. So introducing educational programs through schools to challenge that behaviour is critical. 

Giving police the tools to successfully prosecute offenders is also important, Changes introduced in NSW that enable officers to gather video statements at crime scenes where family violence has occurred and enforce AVOs where individuals are at risk are welcome.  

White Ribbon Month will focus our attention but we need to be vigilant all year round and report violence to the authorities whenever we encounter it.