Ladettes
Fraud in Australia’s plan to reduce violence against women
The 2009 Australian project a ‘Time for Action: The National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, 2009-2021′, was approved for implementation by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The Plan, which is split into several parts, puts forth recommendations for new legislation, changes to judicial processes, requests for funding and ideas for domestic programs targeted at reducing domestic and sexual violence against women. The advisory council has some powers to implement programs through the Office of Women among other agencies, but much of what the government funded program calls for requires approval by Parliament.
The entire premise of the National Plan was underpinned by the belief in this statement:“While a small proportion of men are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, the majority of people who experience this kind of violence are women in a home, at the hands of men they know.”[27-pg1] But a quick examination of the statistics and data shows a much different picture to the rather sweeping indictment of Australian men the National Council paints.
Girls on the attack – trio bash former friend in alleged payback assault
IT had all the hallmarks of a gangland-style payback.
Three offenders single out a former friend for a brutal bashing after the victim allegedly belted one of their sisters in an earlier assault.
But this was not the streets of Kings Cross, it was downtown Gosford and the thugs were pretty young women aged 19 and 20.
The alleged ringleader Taylor McNally, who Gosford Local Court heard kicked her former friend five times in the head as she lay on the ground, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray yesterday.
In what Magistrate Alan Railton described as a “disgusting set of facts” the court heard the 19-year-old childcare worker and two friends – Jade Radford, 19, and Hannah Napier, 20, who did not face court but were convicted on charges on assault and affray in their absence – followed their victim as she left a Gosford nightclub about 3.45am on January 3.
Radford would later tell police Ms Shannon had allegedly assaulted her sister in a prior incident.
They all joined in pulling the victim’s hair as McNally kneed her to the head five times and hit the back of her head twice. Radford punched the victim in the back of the head three times before kicking her in the face and they all stepped back.
McNally launched another attack, punching her head and grabbing hair, until they fell over.
Radford delivered four “hammerfist” blows to her face, a police statement said.
Ms Shannon was also kicked in the head and leg but was eventually able to stand up and walk away. She later attended Gosford Hospital for treatment to her injuries, which included a chipped tooth.
The whole incident was caught on CCTV.
McNally’s solicitor tried to play down the seriousness of the affray but Mr Railton sent McNally to see a probation and parole officer before ordering her to attend a forum sentencing where she will face her victim, Ms Shannon, who will have a say in how McNally will repair the harm she has caused.
Read more articles from the F4E archives on “Violent Women”.
