The ABC has announced it will investigate whether last week's Q&A program 'met editorial standards' after panelists encouraged killing rapists.

In an extraordinary programme which featured five hardline feminists and no men on the panel, outspoken Egyptian-American writer Mona Eltahawy said that women should kill rapists.

Former ABC journalist Jess Hill backed her up before screenwriter Nayuka Gorrie said: 'I think violence is OK'.

The program was moderated by host Fran Kelly and sparked outrage as foul language and unchecked opinions flew across the desk, and into the living rooms of Australians.

Kelly made no attempt to denounce the shocking comments, instead meekly asking Ms Eltahawy if she were promoting violence as she called for women to kill rapists.

A furious response from viewers called for Kelly to be sacked and ABC funding to be cut.

Left to right: American anti-ageism campaigner Ashton Applewhite, Egyptian-American writer Mona Eltahawy, businesswoman Hana Assafiri, host Fran Kelly, Indigenous writer and activist Nayuka Gorrie, journalist and author Jess Hill

A statement released by the ABC on Thursday afternoon said the program was presented in conjunction with feminist ideas festival, 'Broadside'.

'The intention of the program was to present challenging ideas from high-profile feminists whose expertise ranges across ageism, disability, Indigenous and domestic violence issues,' the statement read.

The broadcaster acknowledged the program was 'provocative in regard to the language used and some of the views presented'.

'Q&A has always sought to tackle difficult issues and present challenging and thought-provoking content. However, I can understand why some viewers found elements of this episode confronting or offensive.

'We have received audience complaints about the program, are assessing the concerns raised and will investigate whether the program met the ABC’s editorial standards.'

Paul Fletcher, Minister for Communications, said the episode generated 'significant community concern', and declared their resolve to investigate 'appropriate'.

Dozens of viewers called for Kelly to step down, saying she was 'perfectly at ease with violence'.

Media analyst Julian Evans has complained about the show to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

He told Daily Mail Australia: 'Violence against women, children and men is abhorrent and should be condemned at every opportunity, not encouraged, discussed with glee or presented in a away that condones and incites the community.'

He also claimed the comments broke the NSW Crimes Act which outlaws inciting violence on the grounds of race, religion, or sexual orientation - but New South Wales police said no complaints had been made.

The ACMA said it had received over 20 complaints about the episode of Q&A.

Writer John Ruddick said the section was the 'worst five minutes in the history of the ABC'

The controversy came when a member of the audience asked if aggression and violence were the best ways for feminists to achieve equality.

Ms Eltahawy replied by endorsing violence and saying that women should kill rapists.

She said: 'I want patriarchy to fear feminism… how long must we wait for men and boys to stop murdering us, to stop beating us and to stop raping us? How many rapists must we kill until men stop raping us?'

Host Fran Kelly then referenced a tweet by Spectator Australia which asked: 'Why is the ABC justifying violence?'

She said: 'So Mona... Spectator Australia is already saying Mona's promoting violence. Is that what you're doing?'

Ms Eltawahy replied: 'What I'm doing is saying that that violence has been owned by the state… exactly how long do I have to wait to be safe?'

The person who asked the question challenged the panel by suggesting that violence was not the best approach, saying: 'Bullying begets bullying and violence begets violence'.

The comments immediately sparked fury on social media as hundreds of viewers were left shocked by such brazen support for violence

Although most of the reaction to the show was negative, some praised the outspoken panelists

One viewer praised Nayuka Gorrie for appearing 'real and true' on the show

Journalist and author Jess Hill then chimed in to support Ms Eltawahy's argument that violence is necessary.

'If anyone's shocked by what Mona's suggesting, you just have to look back to history, and a certain faction of the suffragettes… they used violence,' she said. 'They thought what they were fighting was a civil war between the sexes.'

Indigenous writer and activist Nayuka Gorrie also appeared to advocate violence, saying: 'When you say violence begets violence, it's almost sounding like it's a level playing field which it's not.'

'It's absolutely not… I wonder what our kind of tipping point in Australia's going to be when people will start burning stuff? I look forward to it.'

Commenting on Australia's colonial history, she added: 'We've tried for 230-plus years to appeal to the colonisers' morality, which just doesn't seem to exist.

'I think violence is OK because if someone is trying to kill you, there's no amount of, "But I'm really clever. I'm really articulate". No amount of that is going to save you. Let's burn stuff.'

The comments immediately sparked fury on social media as hundreds of viewers were left shocked by such brazen support for violence.

One viewer wrote: 'Violence is never an option and if the ABC insists on pushing violent rhetoric, I will have to insist Scott Morrison pulls funding

One viewer enjoyed the bluntness of the debate which made a change from politicians on the show

One viewer wrote: 'Violence is never an option and if the ABC insists on pushing violent rhetoric, I will have to insist Scott Morrison pulls funding from the ABC and rescind's their broadcasting licence.'

Another added: 'The ABC is promoting violence? It wouldn't be first time.'

In another shocking section of the show, Ms Eltawahy called the Prime Minister a white supremacist.

'Your Prime Minister here is a mini version of Donald Trump - because we're talking about white supremacists capitalists,' she said.

'Your Prime Minister is a white evangelical Christian like Mike Pence in the US so you're on a parallel path here.'

Ms Eltawahy then attacked the government over Mr Morrison's proposal to outlaw environmental boycott campaigns.

'When you start talking about banning boycotts, you have to ask what is happening to your so-called democracy,' she said.

Outspoken Egyptian-American writer Mona Eltahawy (pictured) dominated the show

Another controversial moment came when the panel discussed Tanya Day, an aboriginal woman who was arrested for being drunk in public and died in a police cell in 2017.

Responding to a question about how institutions can be better held to account for racism, Ms Gorrie said the police service should be shut down.

'Its very formation was to serve the interest of white sovereignty in this country,' she said.

'When we're talking about accountability, I'm not sure how far we can go in keeping an organisation like the police to account because it is there to be violent'.

'It's patriarchal, it's overwhelmingly white. I think it shouldn't exist.'

The show also came under fire for repeated use of foul language, which prompted Kelly to say: 'We are trying to keep the language under control. If you're offended by the profanity, maybe leave now.'

Shortly afterwards, in the section about police racism, Ms Eltawahy made no effort to moderate her words, saying: 'You're asking the person here who travels the world to say f*** the patriarchy.'