It was swept under the carpet as was child abuse.  It is only now that it is out in the open.  Hopefully some change can be brought about.  Ms Batty through her horrific experience has brought this right out in the open...good on her.

I heard in Mr Turnbull's speech that domestic violence against women and children is totally unacceptable , 

This is far to restrictive an emphasis and I think the figures are highly affected by those from a cultural background where women are second class Citizens. 

The much larger problem IMO is the Psychological bullying of a partner of either sex and the growing neglect, fraud and Bullying of older Australians by their own children and institutions ,, 

The three major causes are Drink, Drugs and the need for Dominance in a relationship. 

The voices in the wilderness have at last been heard and hopefully the dreadful suffering of the victims will now be addressed.

It is long overdue.

I must admit, when hearing Shorten's idea of 5 days paid leave for victims of DV I thought it was rubbish and to some extent I still do. However, when I pause to think how such an idea could be used to expose the existence of DV it begins to have some merit. I wonder if that's what Shorten was thinking? I doubt it because he didnt sell the idea to Turnbull. He didnt raise a single benefit of the idea.

I agree that there has been substantial progress in exposing domestic violence and it is appaulling to hear of so many women dying of DV.

Violence against women is totally unacceptable, but so too is violence against men.

Isnt it?

I feel that we need to take a slightly different approach and stigmatise violence as the wrongful act, rather than stigmatise men as the possible perpetrators and women as the victims.

Let's not forget that 75 men died of DV between 2010 and 2012, according to ABS reports. If 40% of DV victims are men, then should we only be concerned with violence against women? What kind of message does that send?

I wanted to speak up aainst domestic violence but my wife kicked the shit out of me when she found out what I was up to

In some cultures DV is acceptable .. I remember a friend of mine who saw a husband abusing his wife on a footpath ... he made the mistake of going over to tell the husband it is not the proper thing to do ... where the wife picked up a broom which she was sweeping the path with and started beating up on my friend to mind his own business ... go figure.

Abby, that happened to me once too. I saw a couple hurling abuse and punches at each other in the street. I urged them to stop but the fighting became even more fierce. It looked like the woman was going to take a beating so I put a bear hug on the man who was a little bigger and stronger than me. The response from the wife was swift and vicous with kicks to the groin and punches to the back of the head. I was lucky to walk away, bruised, battered and confused. I've seen similar situations a couple of times since, but being older and wiser, I stand my distance and urge them to settle the dispute with words only. It worked each time. :)