Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced new measures to address domestic and family violence in Australia.

Yesterday the PM met with the national cabinet and agreed on a range of initiatives including investing $925 million to launch the Leaving Violence Program. Albanese said eligible victims of domestic violence will be able to access up to $5,000 in financial support, to assist them in leaving abusive settings.

The PM told RN Breakfast that the support will go further than just supplying financial support but also offer, “support for referral services, risk assessments and safety planning”.

The government also committed to introducing an age verification trial to protect children from porn and to address online safety concerns by introducing legislation that will ban the creation and distribution of deepfake pornography.

“We know that since the Victorian Royal Commission [into family violence], technology has changed some of the challenges which are there,” Albanese said.

“People having access to deepfake pornography, for example, is an issue that wasn’t around in 2016.”

Last night, candlelight vigils were held in Melbourne and around the country to remember domestic and family violence victims. This followed a weekend of rallies across Australian cities, calling for more support and tougher action on violence against women.

All of this comes after the Australian Institute of Criminology released a report finding the rate of women killed by their partners increased by 28 percent from 2021/22 to 2022/23.

If you are seeking support in relation to family or domestic violence, please call the national hotline 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

Photo: by Martin Ollman is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.