The Family Court of Australia has made some really odd decisions in the past decade, which it uses as precedents when making decisions now.
There are a long list of cases that will blow your mind, and today, here’s just one of them.
In Josey & Meibos [2009] FMCAfam 470, the Family Court harshly reprimanded a mother when she changed her kids’ school to try to keep herself and her children safe from their father, who had a history of violence and anger against them.
Not only that, but the court ordered her to re-enroll the kids in their original school and creche, and ordered the mum to make all decisions like this jointly together with the dad in future.
New research released by the Australian government has found that more than 1 in 3 average Aussie men freely admit to having committed domestic violence against their partner.
It proves what many women in Australia have known for years – even if it’s “not all men”, it’s more than 1 in 3.
And that is just the men who are happy to say, yep I’m committing violent acts against against people I claim to love. The rest, we are left to wonder about.
These statistics come from the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), in a longitudinal study that compares men’s health and self-reported behaviour in 2023-24 and 2013-14.
I dislike the name of this study, but I really hate the truths that the study uncovered.
In 2013-14, it was only 1 in 4 Australian men (25%) who freely admitted to having committed domestic violence against their partner.
It is not okay that more Aussie men than ever before are abusing women.
And it’s not okay that more men than ever before think this behaviour is so normal, that they’ll happily admit to committing literal crimes against women.
It cannot be overstated – these are self-reported behavioural statistics, from a huge sample size of 26,000 men.
This means these statistics really do represent what men think and do in Australia.
I’m so proud and happy for all the teachers and educators and staff who are on strike today across Queensland.
It’s their first strike since 2009, and it’s well and truly needed.
Teaching has become a physically and mentally impossible job in this state over the past 50 years, and they deserve everything they’re asking for! (Scroll down to see the needs they’re asking for from the Qld government.)
As a student teacher (called a preservice teacher in Queensland), I was so hopeful going into my first prac this year.
But although the students were DELIGHTFUL, and the school itself was excellent, and I was receiving positive feedback from my incredible supervising teacher, I’m starting to think I may never be a teacher in this state.
If you’re ready for a hilarious and engaging listen this weekend, start with Pod Like A Girl’s breakdown of the charity fails by “The Better Blokes” podcast.
You can listen to Pod Like A Girl on all the podcast apps, or visit the website to listen to it there:
Or you can watch this important conversation with video on YouTube:
Or you can even download the mp3 file to listen to it another way.
Full disclosure, it’s not just amazing, it’s also enraging, but only because we’re talking about the unashamed misogyny and idiocy of these two man childs.
And Rach and Mia are absolutely the right women for the job, because they’re intelligent and informed.
They’ve also spent years advocating to eliminate misogyny, sexism, and violence from Australia’s culture – and advocating for victims of this misogyny, which we know also harms men themselves.
The men who are going to The Better Blokes project for advice are more likely to be harmed, not helped, by what these blokes are spouting.
It’s the Aussie brand of the Andrew Tate manosphere, where men are encouraged to be a real man, and women are NOT welcome.
Like their videos telling women to “shut the f*** up” and let men speak (direct quote). 🤢 🤮
Which is a problem, because their governing legal documents, their charity charter, says they exist to improve men’s mental health… Not to indoctrinate men with misogyny and encourage violence against women, non-binary people, and even kids.
Every 4 days in Australia in 2024, another woman was murdered by a man. In addition, men were responsible for killing people of colour, children, people throughout the gender and sexuality spectrums, disabled people, and more.
Just like I did in 2024, I want to record the names and tributes to the woman who have been killed by men in 2025. I don’t want to forget them. My goal, as a writer, is to focus on the lives they lived, rather than the brutal and tragic way in which they died.
Because their death was not their fault. In each case, a man made a violent choice to hurt a woman or child, and that is the only reason why that person died.
Most of the deaths were caused by acts of domestic and family violence (DFV) committed by men. Almost always, that man is a straight, white man who was sentenced to less than the maximum sentence designed for their crimes.
(Want to see those sentences? You can filter by crime type in databases such as SCL Queensland.)
And as you will see below, most of these murders could have been easily prevented:
Politicians should be making laws to stop men’s violence (instead of tax breaks for the rich), funding programs to help victim-survivors recover and rebuild their lives, and commissioning programs targeted at men to reform them before they kill someone.
Police should be investigating and making arrests and prosecutions, which research shows is one of the most effective ways to prevent future DV crimes… instead of what they do at the moment, which is to dismiss most reports of domestic violence and frequently arrest victims.
Courts should be convicting and sentencing these crimes in a way that recognises the heinous and deliberate nature of these crimes.
The corrections system should be doing more restorative justice to prevent future offending.
These institutions have benefited – directly or indirectly – from doing less work than they could have. In failing to do their jobs adequately, they have sentenced women and children to death. For example, we knew in October 2024 that the Queensland Police Service (QPS) had deliberately blocked “damaging” reports about their Service Delivery Program’s dealings with DFV victim-survivors. To date, I am not aware of QPS apologising for this, or making any plans to do better to protect women and children from men and domestic violence.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers, please be aware there are some photographs of women who have died. I won’t include any images of women I know are First Nations Australians.
Women killed by men in Australia in 2025
I have made every effort to only hyperlink to articles that included names and photographs after seeking consent from the families of these women; however, the media doesn’t always do this. And if you are a First Nations reader, please know that some of the articles I’ve linked to might include photographs of the women who have died.
Alice Springs Woman, 51
This woman was an Aboriginal Australian, so we are not sharing her name out of respect for culture. She was an amazing artist, a mother, and a loved and respected elder. She was 51 years old and lived in Alice Springs, Northern Territory (NT). She had lived a hard life, but she deserved dignity and respect.
This Aboriginal Australian woman was murdered on Monday, 13 January 2025. Her husband Patrick Jungala Nolan (49 years old), a Papunya man, was charged with murdering her, after he called emergency services to the crime scene near the Todd River. She was the first confirmed Australian victim of femicide and domestic violence homicide this year.
This should have been prevented. Patrick Jungala Nolan was on a domestic violence restraining order when he killed his wife. Northern Territory Police knew he was violent, and dangerous. And according to police reports to the media, he was continually breaching domestic violence orders against her, and he had been violent with other women previously. So why wasn’t he behind bars? Each breach of a domestic violence order is punishable with jail time – even in the territory – as far as I can tell. And the previous assaults against women – why did he get away with that? Why did he walk away from every interaction with police knowing that he could get away with murder?
See more details in Femicide Watch by Sherele Moody, or see some of the least objectionable media reports about this NT woman. (I don’t think you’ll be surprised to see that both of the articles I’ve hyperlinked here were written by women writers. There were plenty of other articles written by straight, white men about how she was living with addiction – but those articles were hideously misogynistic and encouraging racist stereotypes. They are not worth the keystrokes they were typed with.)
WA Woman, 81
This WA woman was 81 years old and she was coming home from a holiday with her daughter (56 years old).
This WA woman was murdered on 13 January 2025 in Cloverdale, WA. It was a deliberate car crash that also killed her daughter and their taxi driver, Sendeku Tesema (58 years old). The killer, Rabin Rawal (43 years old), then committed suicide on the Leach Highway. Police said the killer did not know this woman or the other victims, meaning he hadn’t cared who he hurt in his attempts to kill himself.
I was very disappointed to see more media reporting about the taxi driver and the male killer than about these women. Everyone carries some form of identification, so it’s strange they identified a male taxi driver, but not the two female passengers. This is very clearly gendered reporting, which dehumanises these women. The media haven’t tried to find out these women’s names, and multiple channels have focused their reports on the male victim and the male killer. To make matters worse, the WA Premier Roger Cook started his victim-blaming almost immediately, saying that he could only focus on investments in road infrastructure: “But we need people to make good decisions, as well.”
This type of reporting deliberately encourages the misogynistic thinking that creates more male killers like this.
Katie was a popular burlesque performer and plus-size model in Melbourne, performing as Vivien May-Royale, and she also worked at Victoria University. Her vivacious nature springs out of every photo of her, and I found it hard to choose just one photo to remember her by.
Image source: Canberra Times, ACT.
Katie’s mum called her “our beautiful soul”. Friends told Femicide Watch that she had “incredible talent and creative skills” and she was “the kindest soul you had ever met”. She was 27 years old.
Katie Tangey was murdered on 17 January 2025 in Truganina, Victoria, while house-sitting and pet-sitting for her brother. Two men are accused of killing her by firebombing the house, and police believe the killers chose entirely the wrong property, because no one in Tangey’s family has any criminal history or criminal associates.
Victorian Police have not found the two killers at the time of writing. And in a surprising act of negligence, they did not release a safety alert to warn people in the area who might be accidentally targeted by these killers.
Merril was a school teacher, Chair of the board of Northern District Community Health (NDCH), where she served for 27 years, and a volunteer described as “a force to be reckoned with”. She founded the Quambatook Community Resource Centre, which is now providing free counselling to people living in her region of Quambatook, Victoria.
She was 70 years old when she died, and her friends joked that although she was “diminutive in stature”, she was a “giant in spirit”. She personally made sure the Quambatook Memorial Pool stayed open every summer. And a whole generation of Quambatook school kids remembered her reading Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree to them. They knew her for “always seeing the best in people and giving more than anyone could ask”.
Her town’s residents came together to write a tribute to Merril, which was full of love and praise for her:
“A truly caring, humble, modest and unpretentious leader of our community, Merril was the mortar that connected the individual groups into a cohesive force.
“Her diplomacy, steady leadership, and never-give-up attitude were essential in keeping community projects alive.”
Merril Kelly was murdered on 21 January 2025, in Quambatook, Victoria. Brian Barnes (67 years old) has been charged with murdering her. He can’t crush her community, though.
I loved seeing this quote from NDCH’s new Chair, Meghan Stewart: “I often find myself saying, ‘What would Merril do?’“
Hazley was only 8 weeks old, and she was beautiful and perfect. She is one of the youngest victims of Australia’s epidemic of men’s violence.
Hazley Ellen Shanks was murdered on 22 January 2025. She died in hospital three days after a domestic violence assault by her father, in Gracemere (QLD).
Hazley’s mum, Sarah Shanks, wrote, “I love you baby girl. I’ll carry your heart always; I’ll carry it in my heart.”
Rachel was a loving and devoted mum to her 7-year-old son, Leo, and her family said she “looked forward to many adventures with her precious son”. She was known as generous, vibrant, and loyal.
Rachel McKenna was murdered on 31 January 2025, in Ascot Vale (Melbourne), Victoria. Her estranged, male partner killed her, then fled the scene and killed himself, to avoid any accountability for his horrific actions.
Rachel’s family made this powerful call for justice in public statements:
“Her death was an unnecessary tragedy, one we never dreamed would impact our family.
“Something must be done to stem violence against women in this country.”
Rachel was a quiet, friendly person who loved her pets. She could remember the lines from her favourite movies. She was loved by her family and friends, including her friends at AC Care. She was a memorable figure, with her big, “frizzy” hair, always wearing a work jacket, and a slight limp when she walked. She was 55 years old and lived in Mount Gambier, South Australia (SA).
A close friend of Rachel’s, Jarad, said despite her struggles, she always bounced back in ways that inspired him: “If something had to be done, she would build her way to it. She had freedom, so she made the most of her life and lifestyle to improve it.”
Friends said Rachel was “in a good mood” the night before she died, because she had recently ended a relationship. Frustratingly, we know from Australian research in 2024 that the most vulnerable time for a woman to be attacked by a male ex-partner is when she breaks up with them or tries to leave, and sadly, this was true for Rachel.
Rachel Moresi was murdered on 5 February 2025 in her home. Her ex-partner, Troy Earle James (53 years old), was charged with murdering her, and attempted to destroy the evidence in a horrific and dehumanising way.
I loved reading this quote from Rachel’s friend Jarad:
“I helped her believe in herself, and she taught me the same thing. Believe in ourselves.”
This woman was an Aboriginal Australian, so we are not sharing her name out of respect for culture. She was a mum of four and a talented Aboriginal artist. She was 41 years old and was an Alice Springs local, staying in the Warlpiri town camp in Braitling, Northern Territory (NT).
This Warlpiri woman was murdered on 9 February 2025, at Ilperye Tyathe (Warlpiri) town camp in Alice Springs, Northern Territory (NT). Her partner, Christopher Dickson (39 years old) was charged with murdering her.
Jussy was a loving mum to two daughters, and worked for a local gardening and cleaning business. She was going to turn 43 years old in just a few days. Friends and her family in Aoteroa (New Zealand) say she was a “kind, amazing, warm-hearted person”.
Jussy Hammond was murdered on 9 February 2025, in Nashdale, NSW. Her partner Rolong Stanley (30 years old) was charged with killing her through negligent driving causing death in his attempted murder-suicide, and with breaching an AVO (domestic violence restraining order) that should have protected her.
Elizabeth was a marine biologist, and she was a clever young person who was just starting out in her scientific career. She was 24 years old and lived in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Her family said, “Our beautiful, bright girl brought sunshine to our lives.”
Elizabeth Pearce was murdered on 15 February 2025 in Dalkeith, WA. Rhys Bellinge (45 years old) was charged with manslaughter, for killing her by speeding in his high-powered car and crashing into the Uber she was in.
Why was Rhys Bellinge not charged with murder, when his actions were intentional? His lawyer said he was angry because he had recently been dumped – not by Elizabeth – SO WHAT? Anger is not an excuse for deliberately killing people, driving drunk, or any other horrific things he did that day. The media has been reporting about how this man’s career as an obstetrician, and his rich family. What they should be reporting is how callous it is (for a doctor, of all people!) to end a young person’s life, and making it clear that anger is no excuse. Thankfully, at least the Magistrate took Elizabeth’s death seriously, and refused bail or house arrest, saying Rhys Bellinge poses “an unacceptable risk to the community” because of his behaviour.
Elizabeth’s Uber driver, Muhammad Usman, was also severely injured in the crash and attended her funeral in a wheelchair. He called Elizabeth a “young and pure soul” and asked everyone to keep her in his thoughts and prayers, as he did.
Kara was a mum of three, and she had recently celebrated her son finishing primary school and winning an award. She was 27 years old and an Aboriginal woman, so I’m following the lead of the National Indigenous Times in sharing her name here. Her family is devastated by her death, which came so soon after the death of her brother Nicholas in November 2024.
Kara Jade Weribone was murdered on 26 February 2025, in Toowoomba, Queensland. James Ramsey (29 years old) was charged with murdering her. He knew her, and he shot her down in broad daylight.
This page is in the process of being edited, so please come back regularly for updated life stories.
In addition, men in Australia have murdered several children so far in 2025, tragically cutting short these little lives.
One of these precious children was Kingsley Field, who was only 2 years old; he was killed by a man the family knew, in an act of domestic violence (see Femicide Watch for details).
An unnamed 4-month-old boy was murdered on 21 January in Tamsworth, NSW, in an act of domestic violence (see Femicide Watch for details).
Some people were lucky, and survived horrifying attacks by men. Linley Anyos was shot by a male on 8 January 2025, in Tallebudgera, NSW, suffering life-threatening wounds. She survived – a brave fighter – but her dad says this violent act has understandably broken her faith in humanity, and she no longer wants to be around people.
Destiny Otton-Rakuraku survived her former partner’s attempt to murder her. Her family say she is “strong and determined” despite severe ongoing pain. The psychological trauma of these experiences is another type of malicious wound from men’s violence, and it’s one which all victim-survivors are familiar with.
From the point of view of many victims, there is no excuse for men’s violence – not their mental health, not their level of education, and not any claims of “provocation” (a long-disproven concept).
So as always, friends, we must condemn men’s violence against women, and keep condemning it until men change.
Until the governments believe victims, and act on it.
It’s harder to say “happy new year” when you remember that 101 women were killed by men in 2024 (Femicide Watch Australia, 2024).
It might not sound like a huge number, until you compare it to the 46 women who were killed by men in the 2022-23 financial year (AIHW, 2024).
Men killing 101 women in 12 months is horrific because it is a doubling of violence against women in Australia.
Domestic and family violence is a national emergency, with 1 in 4 Australian women having experienced violence from a male partner (White Ribbon, 2024).
With that in mind, I read the following books last year, and I believe they would help any Australian man who wants to understand the current war on women and children in our nation.
More importantly, this information can help any person who wants to help us end the war on women.
I was thoroughly impressed by the way these writers gathered measurable data and research from all around Australia and sometimes internationally.
I’m sure you’ll find the statistics astounding – because I did, and I’ve already been reading on these topics for 20 years.
A note on gender references: All references in this article to “women” include trans women. Much of the data on “women” also includes non-binary people, who are routinely marked as female “for insurance purposes”.
Always was, always will be, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land, air, and waters.
So I was delighted to see First Nations Senator Lidia Thorpe call out the current King Charles… and disgusted to see mainstream media reporting it as “angry woman attacks 80-year-old man with cancer”.
Senator Thorpe is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara, and Djab Wurrung mother, grandmother, and advocate.
Senator Thorpe had tried earlier that month and that week to arrange a private meeting with King Charles to discuss these matters outside of the public forum, but he had refused.
She waited politely until King Charles had finished his speech before she made her statement to him.
Then Lidia Thorpe delivered her now already-famous speech.
Lidia Thorpe’s speech to King Charles
“You are not my king. You are not sovereign. You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us, our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people. You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty in this country. This is not your land. This is not your land. You are not my king. You are not our king. Fuck the colony.”
The second I saw this ad campaign by Bumble, I immediately uninstalled the app (I never use it anyway) and submitted a 1-star rating everywhere I could, and so did thousands of others.
Here’s why.
Note: This article refers to “women and other genders” and to “non-men” in an attempt to represent the reality of as many people as possible. Anytime I’ve written “women”, “trans women”, “trans men”, or “non-binary people”, know that I’m trying to remind people of a gender fluid spectrum, rather than trying to call out specific genders.
How Bumble offended every non-man in just 2 days
Bumble launched their “celibacy is not the answer” ad campaign in early May 2024, and it’s worse than anyone expected.
How to edit truly bad stories Image source: Fonts and Fiction Blogspot
This post is a long one, sorry, but stick with it! I really believe this is something we need to make time for.
Recently, I was looking for inspiration for a part of my novel where one character interrupts a battle to give a passionate speech that marks the beginning of the road to peace. One of the first results when you Google “speech about peace and war” is Martin Luther King Jr.’s little-remembered 1967 speech opposing American involvement in the Vietnam War, ‘A Time to Break Silence’.
I had no idea that reading this speech would change the topic that I would blog on today.
“A time comes when silence is betrayal. In Vietnam, that time has come for us.” – Martin Luther King Jr., ‘A Time to Break Silence’, 1967
Many of you, upon reading the title of this post, assumed that I’m talking simply about my profession of editing. “I say there are bad stories being written out there, and we gonna git ‘em fixed!”
I wish I was.
In the world today, as there has been every year since the dawn of man, there are bad stories being written. By governments and individuals. By my government in Australia. By individuals who I know who think that the government is doing the right thing.
And I need to talk about it. I need to tell you about it. I need to talk about why we are writing a “bad” story and how we can edit it so that we aren’t ashamed of what we have written.
“I cannot say with certainty which of my motives are the strongest, but I know which of them deserve to be followed. And looking back through my work, I see that it is invariably where I lacked a political purpose that I wrote lifeless books and was betrayed into purple passages, sentences without meaning, decorative adjectives and humbug generally.” – George Orwell, ‘Why I Write’ Essay
TJ Withers 