An open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the woman murdered on election night.

In 2015, Tarang Chawla‘s sister, Nikita, was murdered by her partner. He is now a writer and activist against men’s violence. 

Following Saturday’s election result, Tarang penned a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. He urges us to do the same.

“If you would like to do something,” he posted on Facebook, “then feel free to print out my letter and send it along with your own.” 

Below is a copy of the letter Tarang sent the Prime Minister, which has been republished here with full permission. 

The Hon Scott Morrison

Prime Minister

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister,

Congratulations on your election victory. You are quite the miracle worker, I write to you because you believe in miracles. I do too.

In January 2015, my sister Nikita was murdered by her partner. She was 23. Niki had a bright future ahead of her. It is a miracle she achieved as much as she did, considering the ongoing abuse she endured that resulted in her violent and untimely death.

On Saturday 18 May 2019 at 8:45pm, as the average punter’s votes were being counted that led to your miracle win, a woman named Gihan was killed in Randwick, NSW. Gihan was a nurse, and a mother of three. Sadly, I can imagine the pain of her loved ones.

Gihan was allegedly murdered by her husband, left to die in a pool of her own blood. As I sat, a glass of Australian red in my left hand, and remote in my right, like many Australians flicking channels to see who would emerge victorious, Gihan would have known her fate had been sealed only to ask herself: “Is this how my life ends?”

This is the fate of at least one Australian woman a week.

Prime Minister, it will take nothing short of a miracle to address this issue. Are you up to the task? What do you intend to do about the death of all those whose voices have been permanently silenced by the men who claim to love them? Will you keep them safe?

Prime Minister, my contact details are below. I await your response.

Sincerely,

Tarang Chawla

Tarang’s letter was originally published on Facebook. You can see the original post right here: