By Doctors Against Violence Toward Women

For many doctors, Preethi Reddy was a colleague and friend. We shared the anxious wait as the Reddy family called for help on social media. We shared the families’ grief with the unthinkable news. We watched along in shock and disbelief as the media erupted into a furore of fact and speculation.

Preethi was a beloved daughter, sister, partner, colleague and friend, “a bright light, lovable and kind”. Her death was an unnecessary tragedy, robbing a young woman of a hopeful future, all for an entitled man, who couldn’t bear to let her go. On Saturday evening, March 9, 2019, Doctors Against Violence Towards Women held a candle lit vigil in honor of Preethi, with hundreds coming to attend, and national news coverage.

This week, we also plan to run an event in Canberra.

Preethi’s story is particularly close to our hearts, but we are also doctors who see first hand the damage intimate partner violence does to women and families. We specify women, not because men cannot be victims, nor to blame men, but as a statement of indisputable fact. Men commit by far the majority of violent crime. In Australia, one woman dies per week at the hands of her current or former partner. We know the complex nature of these cases and deal with them everyday. It requires more than just a $9.6million cash injection into one aspect. Court systems, service providers and doctors need more support.

Harsh Narda was not a sinister anomaly. His actions had nothing to do with his Indian heritage. He was not a passionate man who just snapped. He was told by a woman that she no longer wanted to be with him, and in response, he took her life. He’s a murderer.

Thus, in solidarity with Australian of the Year Finalist Tarang Chawla, we urge the media and politicians to consider why men are violent and to look at how we can change this. Otherwise Preethi will become body number 12 (the last time we sent this release out, just 4 days ago, that number was 10), the news cycle will move on and nothing will change. We lay down flowers and grieve for Preethi. We demand genuine justice for her and all victims of intimate partner violence. This should be a bipartisan issue. The time has long past for excuses.

Please find out more about this Saturday’s event’s, click here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/663170700753043/

A press release of our successful Sydney Event:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B34ebc2g2iVaQjUwbVcxNXVaZDBHMkZnajNjYUVZR21YTUV3/view?usp=sharing

To find out more information about the organisation, Doctors Against Violence Towards Women, do peruse our social media, website, and other resources; at
davtw.org
Facebook.com/drsagainstviolencetowardwomen
Instagram: Instagram.com/doctorsagainstviolence