Two women in the Northern Territory were among five women allegedly killed by a current or former partner over the past two weeks in Australia, sparking calls for fundamental society-wide change.

Advocacy group Our Watch, an organisation created to drive nation-wide change in the practices, norms, and structures that lead to violence against women and children, said on Wednesday that violence against women is a national crisis.

Our Watch chief executive Patty Kinnersly the deaths of the women "and the devastation caused to those who knew them was not inevitable".

"Violence against women can be prevented. But we have to treat the cause, not just the symptoms. We know from a large body of evidence that for women to be safe, they must be equal," she said.

Last month, an inquest began into the deaths of four Aboriginal women killed by their former partners in the Northern Territory in 2018 and 2021.

Ms Kinnersly said violence prevention starts with addressing the key causes of violence against women: "beliefs about rigid gender stereotypes, men feeling they should control or have power over women, and social norms and attitudes that condone this violence". 

"For First Nations women there are complex influencing factors including racism and intergenerational trauma," she said.

"Each of us can contribute in different ways in different parts of our lives to create generational change for women's safety and equality.    

"Employers, our sporting clubs and media all have an important role to play in creating an equal, fairer and safer community for women by promoting gender equality and challenging outdated and harmful attitudes and behaviours."

Ms Kinnersly said schools, along with parents and carers, have a key role in teaching young people about respectful relationships, consent and how to recognise discrimination and challenge harmful gender stereotypes.

"And we need men as allies, for them to be courageous and call out their mates when they are disrespecting women or excusing or making light of violence. It's so easy for silence to be interpreted as condoning problematic attitudes," she said.  

"Violence against women, including murder, is not inevitable. Everyone has the power to play a part in changing the story and stopping violence before it starts." 

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family or domestic violence:

- call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, or

- visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.

In an emergency - call 000.