Australian media figures have begun firing back at the advice handed out to women following the murder and rape of Melbourne’s Eurydice Dixon.
Dixon’s body was found in Carlton North early Wednesday morning, having last made contact with a friend to say she was safe only minutes before her attack.
The public statements regarding Dixon’s death have drawn widespread criticism, particularly police stating women should be more “aware of their surroundings”.
Warnings like this from police following any tragic accident are to be expected, however, the ongoing conversation around women needing to be more vigilant with their safety has enraged online communities and media personalities alike.
Over the weekend, Lisa Wilkinson delivered a harrowing segment on The Project about the murder and the advice given to women following the attack.
During the piece, Wilkinson broke down in tears speaking about the measures she and other women have to take on a daily basis to remain safe.
Online comedian Christian Hull has also released a three-and-a-half minute video about women’s safety in 2018, following the rape and murder of the 22-year-old.
Hull posted the tongue-in-cheek clip, titled ‘How to be a safe woman in 2018‘, onto his Facebook page, and in it he attempts to untangle the myriad warnings issued to women in the wake of Eurydice’s death.
Online communities are also criticising a tweet from The Age which repeated the advice from police.
BREAKING: Police are urging people to take responsibility for their safety when walking alone in Carlton North, after a woman was found dead there overnight. "Make sure people know where you are and if you’ve got a mobile phone carry it." https://t.co/PjmsInGSEs
— The Age (@theage) June 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/Lizzie_A_Bee/status/1007269173821493248
https://twitter.com/Meshel_Laurie/status/1007122220420755459
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews released the following statement.
In a few days, women across Melbourne will hold a vigil in Princes Park for the life of Eurydice Dixon. They will do so firm in the knowledge that Eurydice died because of her attacker's decisions – not because of her own. They're right. And we need to accept that fact, too.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 15, 2018
We'll never change a thing until we do. We'll never change this culture of violence against women. We'll never change the fact that one woman in this country dies every week at the hands of a partner or former partner – someone they loved, in the safety of their own home.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 15, 2018
We'll keep asking "Why didn't she leave him?" instead of asking "Why did he hurt her?" We'll keep asking "Why was she alone in the dark?" instead of asking "Why was he?" We'll keep ignoring the real problem, instead of actually fixing it.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 15, 2018
So our message to Victorian women is this: Stay home. Or don't. Go out with friends at night. Or don't. Go about your day exactly as you intend, on your terms. Because women don't need to change their behaviour. Men do.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 15, 2018
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