‘Sometimes I worry’: Eurydice Dixon’s last gig revealed as grief turns to fury
Comedian Eurydice Dixon was remembered by Julia Morris as an "important and funny voice." Photo: Facebook
The last stand-up routine performed by promising comedian Eurydice Dixon in the hours before she was allegedly raped and murdered has been revealed in a video.
Drawing laughter from the small room, the 22-year-old is seen performing at Melbourne’s Highlander bar before 10.30pm on Tuesday night.
Four hours later, her body was found about 2.40am on Wednesday in Carlton’s Princes Park, 900m from the flat where she reportedly lived with her brother and father.
Broadmeadows man Jaymes Todd, 19, was charged with Ms Dixon’s rape and murder this week.
During her last moments on stage, Ms Dixon joked about gender equality and her “bit of a tendency” to worry about the future.
“Sometimes I worry I’m going to end up in a slave society,” she says. “You know, girlie things.”
In an eerie line, Ms Dixon says such a society “won’t happen for ages, we’ll all by dead by then.”
She adds that in a slave society, “no one has any rights and we’ll finally have gender equality”.
At the end of her routine, Ms Dixon said: “That’s all I wanted to try, thanks.” She then blew a kiss before walking off camera.
Beautiful, clever, funny Eurydice Dixon at her gig at Highlander last Tuesday. RIP. #eurydicedixon pic.twitter.com/ivcbL2DmSs
— Paula Ferrari (@paulaferrari_oz) June 14, 2018
In the three days since Ms Dixon’s body was found, reaction to her murder has swung from grief and heartbreak to anger and frustration.
High-profile celebrities and social commentators have lashed out in reaction to police advice to women on how to avoid being raped and killed by being careful.
A 2015 post by Australian writer Jane Gilmore has gone viral after being retweeted, with Lisa Wilkinson, Sarah Harris and Jamila Rizvi among those sharing it.
“Women, if you want to be safe, stay at home,” the post begins. “Except that you are more likely to be killed at home by someone who claims they love you, so don’t stay at home. ”
It finishes, “Men, just carry on as you were, this is not your problem OK?”
Sharing the post, The Project’s Wilkinson said Ms Dixon had been killed “in the most unspeakable circumstances” and she offered an apology; “We are so sorry we failed you.”
Ms Gilmore wrote the post three years ago after the rape and murder of Melbourne schoolgirl Masa Vukotic, 17, in a park. A homicide detective warned women not to run in the park until the killer was caught.
“He was just doing his job, but it further enforced this idea that women were responsible for keeping themselves safe,” Ms Gilmore told News.com.
After Ms Dixon’s death police warned women to be “aware of your surroundings”, with Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper saying: “People need to be aware of their own personal security.”
The advice stirred up the safety debate online, with Victorian premier Daniel Andrews among those contributing:
So our message to Victorian women is this: Stay home. Or don't. Go out with friends at night. Or don't. Go about your day exactly as you intend, on your terms. Because women don't need to change their behaviour. Men do.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) June 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/Meshel_Laurie/status/1007122220420755459
A man is assaulted at night and we discuss lock out laws and drunk violence. A woman is assaulted at night and we tell her to stop walking alone. #EurydiceDixon
— Grace Quealy (@giant_blonde) June 14, 2018
As of 9am on Saturday, a GoFundMe page set up for the Dixon family has raised $55,691, raised by 1402 people in two days.
The accused killer, Mr Todd, sat motionless and with his eyes closed during his Thursday appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
Victoria Legal Aid lawyer John Riordan said it was Mr Todd’s first time in custody and said he had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
He was remanded in custody to reappear in the same court on October 3.