“This isn’t the Australia I love, nor the Australia I want to contribute to building.”
Those were the words of Greenbank’s Jessica Polizzi, in response to the death of a 23-year-old woman who police allege was murdered by her husband and brother-in-law.
Ms Polizzi, a victim survivor of domestic violence, is planning a tribute for the woman.
There are not yet any concrete plans – it might be a candlelight vigil or a walk to raise awareness – but Ms Polizzi said she couldn’t “stand by and do nothing anymore”.
“As someone with lived experience of domestic violence, I see this incident as a tragic failure of our community to recognise DV and stop it before the worst happens,” she said.
“I am just a local young woman who is absolutely heartbroken by what has happened. I don’t work in charity or anything, I just can’t stand by and do nothing anymore.
“I see this event and I see a beautiful, bright young woman stolen from this world far too soon. Her children left without parents and left with the trauma of what they have witnessed.”
According to police, emergency services were called to a home at Springfield Lakes on the night of 16 May, following reports that a woman had collapsed.
A 23-year-old woman was found “unconscious and not breathing”, police said, and was declared dead at the scene.
Two men – the woman’s husband (aged 26) and his brother (aged 28) – were taken into custody and later charged with one count each of murder (domestic violence offence).
Police said two children, aged 3 and 4, were at the residence at the time.
Everything is alleged, but Ms Polizzo said the reports left her “heartbroken and scared”.
While the figure varies between different researchers, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows domestic and family violence (DFV) was involved in nearly two-fifths of all recorded homicides in 2023.
Of those DFV homicides, about 60%, or 94 people, were women.
In Queensland, more than one-third of homicides were DFV related.
Ms Polizzi said she wanted to commemorate the deceased woman in some way.
“But also, I feel like it’s a good opportunity for our community to come together and to talk about what we can do as individuals or community members to spot and stop and support people experiencing domestic violence.
“I am trying to get more people aware of what domestic violence looks like before it is physical violence. Because from my experience and from what I’ve read, if you can spot that, hopefully you can get out of there before it gets too serious.”
Last week, MyCity Logan reported that a local charity, Open Haven, had alone supported almost 160 women fleeing domestic violence relationships in Logan so far in 2025.
