Alice men march in support of DV victims

By PETER ROWE

Aboriginal men led a march through the streets of Alice Springs on Tuesday declaring domestic violence in the Northern Territory was not just a women’s issue.

The Ingkintja men’s march was organised in response to an inquest into the domestic violence deaths of four Aboriginal women in the NT.

The inquest was told Kumarn Rubuntja, Kumanjayi Haywood, Ngeygo Ragurrk and Miss Yunupiŋu were among 82 Aboriginal women killed in domestic violence attacks in the NT since 2000.

The NT’s close contact murder rates are seven times the national average.

“It’s not a women’s issue — it’s our issue,” Raymond Walters Penangke told the march.

Mr Penangke had witnessed domestic violence in his own home as a child watching his mother being abused.

“I remember going to the hospital and we were escorted into the ICU — I couldn’t recognise her,” he said.

Many spoke of the horrors of the violence they had observed and called for more behaviour change programs in prisons.

Rehabilitation rates are low and Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has already called on the NT government to release $180 million in support that it promised ahead of August’s territory election.

NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro has said she is yet to decide how the funding will be allocated.