A History of the Australian Environment Movement

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“…As Featherstone notes, 'rape myths that were heightened by gendered and racial denigrations permeated the social and legal landscape of the late twentieth century,' and these rape myths helped construct a pervasive, if misinformed, image of the perpetrator. 38 A 1972 article on convicted rapists in the Australian state of Victoria revealed the prisoners in this study fervently believed that 'one man could not rape a woman without using violence'. 39 This was not an uncommon perspective in 1970s Australia, and indeed was reiterated in social settings and in academic and media publications of the time.…”

“…Most rape cases involve some degree of aggression and violence'. 43 Further, the report 38 described the typical rape offender as 'usually young, single, ill educated and socially deprived', demonstrating a crucially flawed perception of perpetrators. 44 While social attitudes would start to change by the very end of the decade, the data gathered from 1974 to 1977 presented in the report shows that government reporting and attitudes were often slower to move.…”

“…37 There are working-class, lesbian, Black and Brown feminists in Delap's history as well as transwomen and transmen, women living with disabilities, and even a sprinkling of cismen-whom Delap remarks 'often proved flaky, over-sexed, emotionally needy or selfish', but were part of the story and so should not be effaced either! 38 Delightfully too, Australian feminists of the past are included, such as those in the 1950s Union of Australian Women, and the recently deceased Carmin Callil (1938-2022), who founded Virago Press in London in 1975; while Australian First Nations women are considered in several places. 39 This is not the case in most of the other works we discuss in this essay, besides chapter 35 (in particular) of Smith and Robinson's volume.…”

“…The woman's reaction reveals the 'rhetorical shock to mainstream Pākehā,' resulting from the expression of racist oppression within a feminist space. 38 herself as the victim of Awatere's speech, which centred on Māori women, she recentred the 'white woman' and shut down any potential discussion on systemic racism. Fragility became weaponised through the woman's tears.…”

“…37 A year later, on 14 July 1877, another storm saw the loss of the SS Yarra Yarra and eighteen seamen and again Catley wrote to the newspaper. 38 Two weeks later an advertisement appeared for a public meeting to form the society, where Catley joined the committee, becoming its secretary. 39 Prosopographical analysis of the NSRS committee's composition reveals it was large (twenty members) and consisted of the colony's 'small' and 'great' working capitalists.…”