This article contains references to domestic violence.
Across Australia, one woman is killed by a partner or former partner on average every week.
But in the space of one recent week, three women have allegedly been killed by men they knew: Christine Rakic, Amira Moghnieh and a woman in the Northern Territory.
Advocates have called those recent figures an "absolutely horrifying" statistic, while domestic and family violence experts say violence against women is at “epidemic proportions”.
Families will 'never be the same'
For Tarang Chawla, an anti-violence advocate, the news has been devastating.
“At a human level, it is absolutely horrifying,” he told SBS News.
“It’s horrible that we’ve had to have so many tragedies in such a short space of time for us to really take stock, listen and think about why this is occurring and what we need to do to stop it from happening with such frequency.”
Chawla, losing his sister Nikita in 2015 when she was murdered by her husband in Melbourne. He urged the community to understand the “true human cost” of particularly men’s violence against women.
“When we talk about these things in the media, we sometimes gloss over the fact that these are real human beings and they will have lifelong consequences - and that’s the people who are left behind.
“The families of these people will never be the same.”
Emily Maguire is the chief executive of Respect Victoria - an organisation that works to prevent family violence and violence against women in Victoria.
“I think we’re all filled with frustration and anger at the fact this keeps happening, and feels like it’s going to be hard to turn the tide and change it,” she said.
Christine Rakic - NSW
Christine Rakic, 53, was allegedly killed by her former husband this week.
Police were called to a home in Rooty Hill, Sydney, on Tuesday night amid concerns about the woman’s welfare. Officers found she had died at the scene.
Police arrested her ex-husband Dusan Rakic, 50 at the home and took him to Westmead Hospital under police guard, where he was later charged.
The man attended local court via video link from his hospital bed on Friday on charges of murder, breaching bail and contravening an apprehended violence order.
He did not apply for bail and previous release conditions were revoked.
“I’ve been policing for 35 years and domestic violence has been a dominant feature of my career, almost my entire career. It still remains that way,” Superintendent Steve Egginton said, speaking on Wednesday.
Christine Rakic was allegedly killed by her former husband in Sydney's west. Source: Facebook
Unnamed woman - Northern Territory
A 45-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed in the back and died in the remote community of Jilkminggan in the Northern Territory.
Late on Thursday 6 July, police received reports the woman had been injured at a residence within the community, which is located about 150 kilometres south-east of the town of Katherine.
Police said she died a short time later.
Her partner, a 46-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder. He reportedly appeared in Darwin Local Court on Monday.
The woman has not been named.
Amira Moghnieh - NSW
Mother-of-three Amira Moghnieh was allegedly killed by her estranged husband in Sydney’s south on 5 July.
Emergency services were called to a home in Bexley just before 6pm following reports a woman was unresponsive.
Paramedics tried to save Moghnieh, 30, but she died at the scene.
Police arrested her estranged husband, Ahmad Hodroj, 39, at the home and later charged him with murder.
He did not apply for bail and did not appear in person during a brief hearing at Sutherland Local Court the following day.
Amira Mognieh was allegedly killed by her estranged husband in Sydney on 5 July. Source: Facebook
"My sister is gone, and she’ll never come back,” she said.
“She has no one there [in Australia]. Please do not give up on your rights. Don’t remain silent.”
Moghnieh’s uncle, Mahmoud, described her as a “true princess in her actions and manners”.
“She was kind-hearted and had [faced] challenges ever since she got married nine years ago.”
It’s understood the couple separated a year ago and were in the middle of divorce proceedings.
Bankstown Women’s Health Centre chief executive Mariam Mourad said she was “very disturbed” by the alleged incident. The centre provides dedicated domestic violence support - and it’s a field Mourad has worked in for many years.
“This is a tragic incident,” she told SBS Arabic24. “I have two daughters; it could have been one of them. This is sad."
She said the system has gaps when it comes to assisting women who are experiencing domestic and family violence.
Chawla, who is from the South Asian Indian community in Victoria, said women from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds were often unable to access support services, and are minimised or not believed by mainstream society.
A ‘national emergency’
Maguire from Respect Victoria said domestic and family violence against women was “absolutely at epidemic proportions”.
“It’s a national emergency, and it has been for many decades - and without work to prevent it happening in the first place, will be for decades to come.”
On average, one woman a week is killed by a partner or former partner, according to statistics cited by Our Watch, the nation's leading organisation for the prevention of violence against women and children. One in four women has experienced violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, compared to one in 13 men.
One in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15, one in four has experienced emotional abuse by a partner or former partner since that age, and one in five has experienced sexual violence since 15.
“We’ll have some weeks where we don’t hear about this news, and then we’ll have a spike in homicides,” Chawla said.
“Whether it occurs three times a week, or it happens at a statistical rate, it’s horrifying, and it’s devastating. My thoughts are with the families and the communities of those who have been directed and the women whose lives have been stolen from them.”
Our Watch chief executive Patty Kinnersly said violence against women is a “national crisis” that is “happening in every community, in every suburb, rich and poor, across Australia”.
“Violence against women is not inevitable. It is possible to stop this violence before it starts,” she said.
A new 10-year plan will aim to end violence against women and children in Australia within one generation.
Maguire also remains optimistic. “It’s a challenge for all of us. It is definitely possible, because what we do know is these forms of violence are absolutely preventable.”
With additional reporting by Fares Hassan, Ciara Hain and AAP.
If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
