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CHEERS ringing through Bendigo's centre greeted the slogan 'Enough is Enough' as crowds gathered to call for justice for and action against sexual assault and gendered violence.
The protesters who flooded into Rosalind Park on Monday, joined thousands around the nation in response to allegations of sexual assault among those in the federal parliament and their staff.
Watch the rally here (story continues below):
For 16-year-olds Ilise Laidlaw, Amelia Leach and Ava Brindle standing up against injustice at the Bendigo rally was about their futures.
"I'm sick of how unnoticed it goes, how many people are like, 'It doesn't matter, who cares, it's not going to change'," Amelia said.
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"I want to feel safe going into a workplace knowing I'm not going to be assaulted today, I'm going to be safe today, I'm just going to do my job and get it done, not have to worry about how other people not being decent human beings."
Loddon Campaspe Centre Against Sexual Assault chief executive Kate Wright called on people to sign a petition demanding justice for gendered violence in workplaces, including parliament.
Ms Wright said she believed Australians expected more from their leaders than the response from parliament house. She said the nation's politicians were under a grim spotlight on their response to gendered violence in their own workplaces.
"What's happening in Parliament House, what's happening in our communities, is making people feel very passionate about gendered violence, and they marched with their feet," Ms Wright said.
"The data doesn't lie ... when you look at the data, one in six women experiencing sexual assault before the age of 15 is horrific. One in three women experiencing family violence is horrific."
Speakers included three victim-survivors of sexual violence, Dja Dja Wurrung traditional owner Rebecca Phillips, Centre for Non-Violence chief executive Margaret Augerinos, and City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Jennifer Alden.
Ms Augerinos told the crowds the fight for justice had been going on far to long.
"We must do more and insist that our leaders do more. Enough is enough," she said.
Behind the rally were four demands. The first was a full police investigation of rape and sexual assault allegations and misconduct by Members of Parliament and Staff.
The second was an independent, wide-reaching review commissioned by the High Court of gendered violence in Australia's parliaments, including the federal parliament.
The third demand was Australia-wide strategies for deep cultural change in workplaces, and the criminal justice and political systems, focused on promoting equality, respect, fairness, integrity and a level playing field for all.
The fourth demand was for a federal Independent Commission Against Corruption.
March attendee Julie Hind said she had given up a day of holidays to travel to Bendigo for the march, because Australia was at a crossroads in the community about justice for women.
Ms Hind said it was frustrating women had to keep fighting for their rights decades on from the feminism of the 1960s.
"Sometimes I just despair, because I wonder that we haven't come very far since those days," she said.
"I'd like to see our governments actually take more positive action towards equality for women in all sorts of areas, address domestic violence, do something about the gender equity and pay gap, deal with issues around rape and sexual assault."
Attendee Beverley Forsyth said she marched because she was fed up with the victim blaming, hypocrisy and lack of justice. Ms Forsyth said she hoped to support younger women, actively in the workforce, saying the consequences of inaction on gendered violence was disenfranchisement.
Petition available online at: bit.ly/3cglEuX
Earlier
BENDIGO'S community is preparing to rally to tell national leaders "enough is enough" in calling for action to make sure sexual assault survivors voices are heard.
The Loddon Consortium for Gender Equality and Violence Prevention urged every person who wants to send a strong message to federal leaders to join the rally, at Bendigo's Rosalind Park from noon on Monday.
Hundreds have gathered at the park's piazza for the event.
Watch the Bendigo rally live here:
Bendigo's March 4 Justice is part of a nationwide movement. Rallyers are calling for a full police investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations and misconduct by members of Parliament and staff, an independent, wide-reaching High Court review into gendered violence in Australia's parliaments.
Read more: Support for Bendigo March 4 Justice grows
They've also called for nationwide strategies for deep cultural change to promote equality, respect, fairness, integrity and a level playing field for all in workplaces, as well as the political and criminal justice systems, and a federal Independent Commission Against Corruption.
It comes in the wake of rape allegations against Attorney General Christian Porter, as well as separate allegations by former Liberal Party staffer Brittany Higgins that she was raped by a male colleague.
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Despite the event's name, the Bendigo rallyers will not march but stay in place, to ensure everyone can participate.
Seeking support
If you or someone you know needs support for sexual, domestic and family violence, help is available. Call:
- Centre Against Sexual Assault Central Victoria - 03 5441 0430
- Sexual Assault Crisis Line - 1800 806 292
- 1800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732
- Centre for Non-Violence - 1800 884 292
- 24-hour statewide safe steps Family Violence Response Centre crisis response line - 1800 015 188.
In an emergency phone 000.
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