Peak women’s, disability and LGBTIQ+ groups have joined forces to call on the Victorian Upper House to pass the state’s first ever protections for their communities against hate speech.

The letter to Victorian parliamentarians was signed by 23 organisations, including Women’s Health Victoria, Gender Equity Victoria, Women with Disabilities Victoria.

CEO Gender Equity Victoria Micaela Drieberg: 

“Women have a right to feel safe and respected and to be able to take part in public life without fear. Victorian MPs have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create real, lasting change for women in our state.”

“Women continue to make up the overwhelming number of victims of online abuse and violence. Unrelenting trolling and bullying causes physical, psychological and emotional harm.”

“Later this week we will celebrate International Women’s Day and there is no better time to hold this hate to account, prevent its spread and stop it from escalating into acts of real-world violence.”

Women’s organisations

Women’s Health Victoria

Gender Equity Victoria

YWCA Australia

Chief Executive Women

Disability organisations

Women with Disabilities Victoria

Women with Disabilities Australia

Disability Leadership Institute

Disability Discrimination Legal Service

Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service

Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA)

People With Disability Australia (PWDA)

Disability Resources Centre

LGBTIQ+ organisations

Thorne Harbour Health

Transgender Victoria

Rainbow Families

Rainbow Local Government

Minus18 Foundation

InterAction for Health and Human Rights

Equality Australia

Transcend

Switchboard Victoria

Pride Cup

Contact: Tara Ravens, 0408 898 154, tara.ravens@equalityaustralia.org.au, Emily Mulligan, 0411 207 633, emily.mulligan@equalityaustralia.org.au