Homicide detective Andrew Stamper and Assistant Comissioner Luke Cornelius appeal for information from the public after a woman's body was found in Royal Park on Saturday. Credit:Justin McManus Loading "I sought a briefing earlier today on whether we’ve had similar incidents or any other issues of concern reported to our local police and I’m told this is quite a safe park," Mr Cornelius said. "This has come as an awful shock, not only to the community but to the local police here."



Nonetheless, he acknowledged the enormous community concern after a spate of killings of women in public places over the past 12 months. "Certainly there have been instances in our recent past where women have been attacked and they have been attacked by men," Mr Cornelius said. "The key point is [that] this is about men's behaviour, it's not about women's behaviour.

"Every time I hear about a woman being attacked – for me as a man – it gives me some pause for reflection about what it is in our community that makes men think it's OK to attack women, or take what they want from women," he said. The woman's death comes just under a year after the killing of Eurydice Dixon, 22, whose body was found on an oval in Princes Park in neighbouring Carlton North on June 13, 2018. Budding comedian Eurydice Dixon, 22, was murdered in Carlton's Princes Park, near Parkville, last year. Ms Dixon was raped and murdered while walking home from a comedy club in the city. Jaymes Todd has pleaded guilty to murdering Ms Dixon in the early hours of June 13 in Princes Park in Carlton North, having followed her on foot from outside Flinders Street station. It also follows the death of international exchange student Aiia Maasarwe, 21, who was killed in Bundoora in January this year.

Student Aiia Maasarwe was killed metres from a tram stop in Bundoora, in Melbourne's north, in January. Ms Maasarwe had moved to Melbourne for a one-year exchange program to study at La Trobe University. She was killed walking from a tram stop to her home, and her body was found on grass near a Bundoora shopping centre. Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with Ms Maasarwe's rape and murder. Last month, African-Australian woman Natalina Angok was found dead in a street in Melbourne's Chinatown. The 32-year-old from Highton, a suburb of Geelong, was found by a passerby on Celestial Avenue, near Little Bourke Street, early on the morning of April 24. Christopher Bell, 32, was charged with one count of murder. It is believed that he and Ms Angok had been in a relationship. Natalina Angok was found dead in Chinatown in April.

Mr Cornelius' message on Saturday stands in contrast to the advice police gave women after the death of Ms Dixon, which caused a public outcry. In the hours after the 22-year-old budding comedian's body was discovered, police were concerned that it might be linked with another sexual assault in nearby Parkville and told residents to be on high alert. Victoria Police Superintendent David Clayton had urged anyone walking near Princes Park at night to take extra precautions, always be aware of their surroundings and "take responsibility for your own safety”. But many people took issue with that advice, interpreting it as victim blaming.

Loading Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews later weighed in on the furore, saying Ms Dixon had taken standard precautions. "She was keeping an eye on her surroundings," he wrote on Twitter. "Looking out for herself. Being responsible. Doing everything we expect. But Eurydice did not make it home safe. "In a few days, women across Melbourne will gather in Princes Park for a vigil of her life. And they will do so firm in the knowledge that Eurydice died because of her attacker's decisions – not because of her own. "They're right. And we need to accept that fact, too.

"We'll never change a thing until we do." Mr Cornelius' comments on Saturday afternoon did reflect those made by the Premier. "Violence against women is absolutely about men’s behaviour, it’s not about women’s behaviour ..." he said. "We need to reflect on our own behaviour, the behaviour of men known to us. We need to reflect on what we say to our sons, about whether they’re respecting their playmates in the playground, or respecting women in the early days when they’re looking to embark on relationships with women. Luke Cornelius said men should reflect on their own behaviour towards women. Credit:Justin McManus

"We as a society need to take an opportunity to reflect on how men view women in our community, and ... tragedies where women have been attacked and suffered harm at the hands of men. "Every man needs to reflect on what is it about our society and community that appears to continue to support some men – a small number of men – thinking it’s OK to attack women and cause women harm." Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au Lifeline 13 11 14 Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

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