FAILURES IN MOLLY'S CASE PROVE WE NEED A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO FEMICIDE

Two decisions by authorities paved the way for a man to murder Molly Ticehurst - the decision to bail the domestic violence perpetrator and the decision by a key support agency to not deliver the vital safeguards Molly needed in the months leading up to her death. 
Daniel Billings murdered Molly on April 21, 2024 at Forbes in NSW. She was only 28.
Molly was the 30th of 106 Australian women killed in 2024.  Over the past almost three years we have lost more than 250 women and girls to acts of male violence.
Every death I document shows a point in her life where the right systemic response would have saved her life.
Molly - a mum to a little boy and a child care worker - did all the right things. Like so many women before her, she went to police, she sought help from support services and she did all the things we tell women to do when facing abuse.
But the systems let her down. 
Billings was on bail when he broke into Molly’s bedroom to kill her. It was in-part an act of revenge after she reported his rapes and he was charged. 
Molly tried to access the NSW Government's Staying Home Leaving Violence initiative - the aim was to have security features installed at her home so no one could enter without her permission. 
The service did not deliver and it was up to Molly's dad Tony Ticehurst to make the property as safe as he could.
 Billings has just been sentence, with the judge ordering him to serve at least 20 years in jail. He was convicted on murder but the rape charges were dropped. 
Molly's mum Kate Shaw wants the NSW State Government to make public a report into the Staying Home Leaving Violence scheme's failures leading up to Molly's death.  
Had vital safety options been installed on her home, Billings would not have been able to break-in to kill her.
"Unfortunately there appears to have been a failure to protect Molly from potential harm in the time between when she first went to make a report at Forbes Police Station and her death," Kate said in a statement to media.
"I call on the Premier to release ... the findings of the investigation ordered after Molly's death, relating to her interactions with service providers under the Staying Home Leaving Violence scheme. 
“Molly’s life was taken far too soon in a violent, malicious manner for no reason other than selfishness."
Molly's Dad Tony Ticehurst said Molly was his best friend.
“Molly’s life was not complete. She had such a big heart and had so much love to give," he told Billings during the sentencing hearing.
“I hope that every night, Molly’s screams keep you awake." 
The reality is, Molly's case and the failures that enabled her abuser to murder her are not at all unique. 
A Royal Commission into Femicide would examine the ongoing systemic failures. It would also question why repeated state, territory and federal governments have claimed they know how to keep women safe but repeatedly refuse to fully fund appropriate prevention and support services.
These are just two areas the RC would address. We need a comprehensive national truth telling and examination of gendered violence in this country if we hope to ensure no other woman or girl endures what Molly had to suffer. 
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You can support The RED HEART Movement and Australian Femicide Watch by donating or grabbing a RED HEART t-shirt at australianfemicidewatch.org