Australia faces a crisis: 74 women have been murdered due to domestic violence in 2024. Domestic Violence NSW demands urgent action.
Australia is grappling with a surge in domestic violence fatalities, with 2024 recording the highest number of women murdered in nine years. A staggering 74 women have lost their lives to gender-based violence so far this year, surpassing the grim statistics of 2015. These figures, however, likely underestimate the true scope of the problem, as data on domestic violence fatalities involving children, men, and gender-diverse individuals remains absent.
Delia Donovan, CEO of Domestic Violence NSW, expressed deep concern over the rising death toll. “These devastating figures lay bare an ongoing crisis that demands immediate action and comprehensive funding across the specialist domestic and family violence sector,” she said in a statement. Donovan emphasised that every life lost represents a failing in the system’s ability to protect vulnerable individuals. She called for the implementation of “extensive, intersectional strategies” that address not only gender-based violence but also the underlying social inequalities that contribute to its prevalence.
Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research paints a worrying picture. Domestic violence-related assaults are on the rise in the state, averaging a concerning 3% increase annually. Despite an emergency funding package rolled out earlier in 2024, New South Wales continues to lag behind other states in terms of per-capita spending on domestic violence services. In 2022-23, NSW allocated a mere $39 per person, falling short of the national average of $53.
“We were repeatedly assured by our leaders that this initial investment was just the beginning,” Donovan pointed out. “It’s crucial that we move beyond this first step and secure a 50% baseline funding increase for specialist domestic violence services. The current situation, where women and children are turned away due to inadequate resources, is simply unacceptable.”
Domestic Violence NSW is currently preparing a budget submission outlining a clear path forward. The organisation emphasises that while investing in support services comes at a cost, neglecting to do so comes at a far greater human cost – measured in lives lost.
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