The one group of Aussie women who have 'nowhere to hide' from domestic violence ... trends now
An expert has warned Australian women who live in regional NSW have 'nowhere to hide' amid the country's domestic violence epidemic.
Domestic Violence NSW senior policy officer Doctor Bridget Mottram said victims who live in regional areas have limited options and are 'completely vulnerable' when trying to escape domestic violence.
Her comment comes as tens of thousands of Australians marched around the country over the weekend calling for an end to violence against women.
Twenty-six women were allegedly killed in Australia at the hands of their partners or former partners so far this year - 12 more than during the same period in 2023.
This month alone there has been a wave of women killed allegedly at the hands of men including Molly Ticehurst, 28, Emma Bates, 49, Erica Hays, 30, and the appalling Bondi Junction stabbing attack which claimed the lives of five women.
More than a dozen 'No More: National Rally Against Gender Based Violence'
demonstrations were held across Australia on Saturday and Sunday.
The rallies, organised by advocacy group, 'What Were You Wearing', are calling on the government to take action against domestic violence.
Molly Ticehurst, 28, (pictured) was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend Daniel Billings, 29, inside her home in Forbes, 370km west of SydneyPolice will allege Billings traveled to Forbes with the intent to kill Ms Ticehurst despite being the subject of an AVO
Two in five women in Australia, or about 40 per cent, have experienced violence since the age of 15, according to Domestic Violence NSW data.
Men are more likely to be the perpetrators of abuse and violence, with women suffering higher chances of being hospitalised compared to when a woman is the offender.
Experts claim women who live in regional NSW are 'sitting ducks' and face significantly more barriers when trying to escape an abusive partner than those who live in the city.
Domestic Violence NSW senior policy officer Doctor Bridget Mottram said the death of Ms Ticehurst highlighted the risks women face while living in regional areas.
Dr Mottram said emergency accommodaiton was 'grossly lacking' in regional Australia.
'It's that inability to hide in regional, rural, and remote areas, to get away, to get help, get out of danger to have time to think,' she told the Daily Telegraph.
'In country towns, there is often one bus out of town a day, and everyone knows who gets on and who gets off.'
Dr Mottram added emergency accomodation, which is at the core of a victim's safety, must be taken into consideration when a court rules on bail conditions.
About 21 per cent of women living outside of a capital city experiences domestic violence compare
Women who live outside of capital cities are at a 21 per cent higher risk of domestic violence compared to 15 per cent of women living in the city, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey.
Women who live in rural and regional areas are geographically isolated which means they are also affected during natural disasters and are often unable to access appropriate resources.
In comparison, there are a vast number of support services that are widely available to women who live in Sydney.
A 35-year-old man has been charged with the murder of mother-of-four Erica Hays (pictured) after her body was found in a house fire in Warnbro, Perth
Emma Bates, 49, was found in her home at Cobram on the Victorian-NSW border. Her next-door neighbour John Torney faced court facing assault charges over her death
Women in Sydney who are experiencing domestic violence can easily access the support in a safe manner while planning their escape.
Another barrier facing women who live in remote or rural areas is the access to police.
In small towns the nearest police station could potentially be hundreds of kilometres away.
Dr Mottram added long term and affordable housing in NSW regional communities was at a crisis point, as social housing and safe dwellings for victims was limited.
In 2021, 9,000 women were homeless as a result of domestic and family violence.
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