This story mentions domestic violence.
Imagine if 68 Australian men had been murdered so far this year.
Imagine if most of them had died at the hands of someone they trusted, someone who was supposed to love and care for them.
Imagine if the rest had perished at the hands of strangers, pure terror filling their final moments.
Watch: We lose one woman every week in Australia to domestic violence, but that's just the tip of a very grim iceberg. Post continues after video.
Imagine if, as men grappled with these frightening statistics, wondering whether they were safe to walk home at night, or if the streets were in fact safer than their own homes, women made jokes about violence against men.
Imagine if men were beaten to death in their places of work for ending relationships with their partners. Imagine if they were stabbed in their kitchens, in front of their children. Imagine if they were dragged into dark alleyways, their bodies dumped in even darker places.
Imagine if men were blamed for what befell them. Repeatedly. Imagine if they were told not to stay out late, not to drink too much, not to wear their favourite clothes, not to walk home alone.
Imagine if they were told all of this when the most dangerous place for them was in fact inside the four walls of those very homes.
Imagine if they called for change.
They'd get it. Swiftly.
Anthony Albanese would stand up in parliament; he'd make a rousing speech, while wearing a black tie.
He'd promise, promise, to keep men safe.
He'd apologise. He would say it was a national disgrace that 68 men had died in this way. He'd say we were in crisis, that we needed to act now.
And he would act.
Laws would be reformed, punishments would become more severe, act as real deterrents. Education systems would be put in place, funding would become available immediately. It would be limitless.
No expense would be spared.
Imagine if 68 Australian men had been murdered so far this year.
Imagine.
Read more of our Domestic Violence stories here:
- Non-fatal strangulation is what domestic violence advocates fear the most right now.
- We did it with the 'coward punch'. Why not with domestic and family violence?
- The cost of our true crime addiction.
If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.
Mamamia is a charity partner of RizeUp Australia, a Queensland-based organisation that helps women and families move on after the devastation of domestic violence. If you would like to support their mission to deliver life-changing and practical support to these families when they need it most, you can donate here.
Feature Image: Getty.
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