Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the name and image of a deceased person.
Hundreds of people braved heavy rain on the New South Wales Central Coast to protest against violence towards women.
The rally, which began at Gosford Waterfront Park, was sparked by the death of 19-year-old local Audrey Griffin, whose body was discovered in Erina Creek on March 23 after a night out with friends.
Police charged 53-year-old Adrian Torrens with her murder, but he died in custody before facing trial. Torrens was known to police and had a criminal record, including an apprehended violence order (AVO), and was serving a community corrections order at the time.
Local resident and event organiser Lauren Gumbs said Ms Griffin’s death had left the close-knit community “horrified” and should never have happened.
“We’re marching today because enough is enough,” Ms Gumbs said.
She criticised the lack of political attention to the issue, noting that despite the federal government declaring a national crisis on violence against women last year, little had been done since.
Ms Gumbs initially organised the march under the hashtag “#23TooMany,” referencing the 23 women killed by violence in Australia so far this year, according to Australia Femicide Watch.
“Already another woman has been killed in Victoria, so it’s now 24 Too Many,” Ms Gumbs said.
“We’ll have to keep changing the hashtag unless real change happens.”
A difficult week for women
Piper Wyanz, a former schoolmate of Ms Griffin, attended the rally, expressing sadness that Audrey’s death had become another statistic. She stressed that women’s safety was not being taken seriously enough.
Wyanz also highlighted the poor transport options in the region, noting that the latest bus service in her area was at 6:30pm, leaving women vulnerable when walking home at night.
“Politicians love to talk about ‘law reform,’ but it’s a long and slow process,” she said.
Ruby Heronlittle also attended the march, describing it as an “emotionally taxing week for all women” and saying the turnout in the rain demonstrated the community’s determination to demand change.
“We need urgent action, like more funding for women’s shelters and frontline services,” she said.
Calls for cultural change
The march concluded at the Central Coast Leagues Club, where survivors, teenage girls, and other women delivered powerful speeches.
Brianna Harvey, from advocacy group What Were You Wearing Australia, told the crowd that violence against women is “not random, it is a pattern and it is preventable.”
“Where is the outrage from those in power, and where is the emergency-level funding?” she asked.
Sixteen-year-old Scarlett Owens addressed the rally, pointing out that the Central Coast consistently ranks among the worst areas in NSW for domestic violence.
“It’s not because women are asking for it — it’s because of what boys are taught from a very young age,” she said.
Owens urged educators, leaders, and policymakers to recognise how ignoring casual misogyny in schools and communities shapes future generations.
