Social Services Minister Christian Porter said the new research indicated too many Australians underestimate the impact of domestic violence.
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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten used the occasion to announce that a Labor government would include five days paid domestic and family violence leave in the National Employment Standards.
White Ribbon is the largest campaign to end men’s violence against women, and leaders across Australia today have made their voices heard on the issue.
Crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie criticised the federal government’s approach to tackling domestic violence, condemning funding cuts to mental health and drug and alcohol services.
Research company TNS conducted interviews with some 255 young people and parents around Australia, finding that there were “high” levels of victim blaming among those surveyed.
“Not only will it provide material support for women who might find themselves in this very bad predicament, but it also sends the message that political leaders and community leaders alike do not condone this behaviour”.
Results show that boys and young men quickly externalised the behaviour by blaming others, particularly the female, which is an attitude already present among boys at the age of 10.
“We must elevate this issue to our national consciousness, and make it clear that domestic, family or sexual violence is unacceptable in any circumstances”.
Many actions involving disrespectful and aggressive behaviour are seen by adults as social misdemeanours rather than as something needing correction and modification.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said yesterday that there was no global support for an American-led ground force to destroy the Islamic State group, which he called fundamentally weak with “more Twitter accounts than fighters”.
“The campaign aims to equip influencers to help break the cycle”, Minister for Women Michaelia Cash said.
“Domestic and family violence leave will benefit both those who have experienced violence as well as business through improved productivity, increased employee retention and reduced absenteeism”, Mr Shorten said.
Two women a week are now killed in Australia by current or former partners; so far this year 78 have died.
If elected, he would insert five days of paid domestic and family violence leave in the National Employment Standards, which set out the minimum entitlements for employees covered by the national workplace relations system.
The leave could be valuable for such things as attending court, meeting lawyers and financial advisers and counselling.
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The ACTU has argued that while more than a million employees, such as those at Telstra and IKEA, have access to paid domestic violence leave, the provision should be extended to all workers. In an emergency call triple zero.
