The murder of Sydney woman Preethi Reddy is part of a larger "epidemic" of violence against women in Australia, according to a domestic violence campaigner.
The body of Ms Reddy, 32, was discovered stuffed in a suitcase with multiple stab wounds after police found her vehicle in Kingsford on Tuesday night.
Her ex-boyfriend Harsh Narde, who was killed in a fiery car crash on Monday, is now the key suspect.
Preethi Reddy. Source: Facebook
"Police are saying it could be a murder by a former partner. That is a very common way for women to be killed," co-founder of Counting Dead Women Australia Jenna Price told SBS News.
"[Preethi Reddy] is the 10th woman who has been killed violently this year and we're only at the beginning of March," Ms Price said.
"We found that last year 69 women were murdered in Australia and about three-quarters of those were at the hands of partners, former partners or other family members."
She said while "the murders are terrible ... figures tell us one woman is hospitalised every three hours as a result of family violence".
"We really hope that by counting the number of women that have been killed violently, we are able to get into people's minds these are not individual incidents. They are part of a much broader sweeping social problem."
Dr Harsh Narde was killed in a head-on car crash on Monday night. Source: Facebook
According to a 2018 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in six Australian women have been subjected, since the age of 15, to physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous cohabiting partner.
"Family, domestic and sexual violence happens repeatedly - more than half (54 per cent) of the women who had experienced current partner violence, experienced more than one violent incident," the report said.
On Tuesday, the federal government said it will inject $328 million into programs to prevent domestic violence.
Announcing the funding boost, Prime Minister Scott Morrison linked violence to disrespect.
"Because disrespect of women and children, while it won't always end necessarily in violence towards women and children, that's certainly where it starts," he said.
"I look forward to the day when a Prime Minister can stand … and say that a young girl being born today won’t experience this over the course of the first 20 years of their life.
Labor has recently pledged $60 million to create about 20,000 funding packages for people fleeing domestic violence, if they are elected to government.
The packages are designed to help women leave relationships and set up stable, permanent homes for them and their children.
Glenbrook Dental surgery. Source: SBS
While Ms Price welcomed the government announcement, she questioned the timing.
"We're happy this funding is coming but you have to ask yourself, why is it that we have to wait until just before election time. Are women's votes and lives not normally important?"
She said Australia need to make "big changes" to address the "epidemic" of domestic violence.
"We need to examine the level of gender inequality here ... Around job opportunities, around pay gaps, how women in power are treated, everyday sexism and casual misogyny."
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. In an emergency, call 000.
