Dear Aiia,
From one Australian woman to an honorary one, I’m sorry.
I’m sorry you didn’t get to head home and tune into Netflix, FaceTime your mum and probably make a stir-fry dinner after a long day of university lectures. Instead, you had to Facetime your sister as a precaution while walking through Melbourne streets at night. I’m sorry your father Saeed had to fly for an estimated 26 hours knowing he was to be hit with the reality that his baby girl, the one he referred to as “smart, beautiful and kind” would have to be buried in mere days. I’m sorry he didn’t get to see you graduate. I’m sorry you didn’t get to immerse yourself into a career and consistently change it as your fellow millennials will.
I’m grateful that your alleged attacker was arrested – even if it only happened two days after your death.
I am devastated that you allegedly had to live your last minutes alive undergoing such an ordeal that the courts have ruled out leaking any more information on the matter.
I’m sorry that the person who did this was able to do it.
But what I’m really sorry about is that we didn’t manage to save your life. I, along with the majority of Australian women and men feel guilt in my stomach because despite living in an era with the greatest security technology to date, we couldn’t stop your alleged attacker. We couldn’t predict his movements. What we could and can still do now though, is spread awareness. Teach our sons that it’s not okay to harm women, give fellow uni students and females in your age bracket the tools they need to feel safe no matter what time they leave their front door. To you Aiia I am sorry, but we as a nation will all be sorrier if we allow violence against women to continue.
Need help? Call Lifeline on 131 114, visit www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/get-help-home, or call beyondblue on 1300 224 636.
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault or family violence, call the 1800RESPECT hotline or visit www.1800respect.org.au/. You can also call the Domestic Violence Hotline on 1800 656 463.
If you or someone have something to report, contact Crime Stoppers, call 1800 333 00.
For an emergency call 000.
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