Thousands march against domestic violence as family of teen Isla Bell, who was killed, joins the cause.

Today in Sydney and Melbourne, thousands of people came together to march against gender-based violence. This included the family of Isla Bell, a teenager who was tragically murdered. The march drew in a record-breaking crowd of over 8,500 people, as they walked from Birrarung Marr to Treasury Gardens in Melbourne.

Among the crowd was Isla's family, including her uncle and cousins. Her remains were recently discovered at a local tip, and her alleged killer, 53-year-old Marat Ganiev, has been charged with her murder. Isla's loved ones attended the march to honor her memory and speak out against the violence that took her life.

Isla's uncle, Keiran Dionysus, shared powerful words written by Isla's mother, Justine Spokes, the night before. He expressed the family's horror and grief over the gruesome details of Isla's death. Isla's cousin, Caitlin Brown, also spoke to reporters, saying how much Isla was loved and that they all hope justice will be served.

In New South Wales, another march took place in Coogee, with NRL players, community activists, and survivors of violence all joining in. According to Police Commissioner Karen Webb, the police are called to a domestic violence incident every four minutes in NSW, and victims are assaulted an average of 27 times before seeking help from the authorities.

Rabbitohs player Cameron Murray participated in the march and was accompanied by his team. He shared that as a father to a young daughter, the issue hits close to home and hopes that with more awareness and action, violence against women will become less prevalent.

Sadly, this year alone, over 80 women have been allegedly murdered in Australia. On average, one woman is killed by her partner every 11 days, and one in four women in the country has experienced domestic violence. These staggering statistics highlight the urgent need for action and change.

The rallies today marked the beginning of a 16-day global campaign to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. This is a crucial step in raising awareness and providing support for those affected by violence. If you or someone you know needs help, the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT is available for support.

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