Women in politics have long warned threats and abuse against them have been escalating and would translate into a real-life violent attack.
Now those fighting for gender equality in public life say the brutal attack on federal MP Helen Haines on Monday, which has left her fighting for her life, has frightened but not surprised them.
"It's because she's a woman in politics, and because we know that misogyny, the hatred of women, is now the number one activator of radicalisation in this country," Women for Election chief executive Licia Heath told AAP.
"I've already spoken to nine elected women this morning, and they are scared."
Women for Election in August released the first study of Australian women in office's experience with abuse, finding 89 per cent had experienced online abuse or intimidation linked to their political participation.
This was leading to less women participating in politics, and overseas had translated into real life attacks on female politicians.
At the time, Ms Heath said: "I don't want to wait for a woman MP to be killed in office before we start making some changes."
The report called for social media and artificial intelligence companies to take greater accountability for abuse, along with more support from political parties, dedicated protections for candidates and representatives, and a national action plan.
With elections due in Victoria at the end of November and NSW in March, along with a federal poll in 2028, Ms Heath said Australia was on the precipice of major change and instability.
"Are we going to go down the path of the US and the UK, or are we going to take decisive action in Australia to make sure that Helen is the first, but also the last to suffer an attack like this?" Ms Heath said.
Independent candidate for Western Victoria Aleta Moriarty, running for an upper house seat in Victoria's election, has experienced thousands of threats including rape and death threats.
She reported the matter to police and wrote a submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission calling for better protections for female candidates.
"I was very concerned that there was there was a big risk, not just towards me," she said.
"That risk is really disproportionately carried by women representatives.
"The way politics is playing out on all sides is extremely polarised and brittle and angry and combustible at the moment."
As an independent, she said she has a $4000 campaign budget, leaving little funding for her own security.
Pamela Anderson, the chief executive of EMILY's List Australia, which supports Labor Party MPs seeking election, said she was "angry but not surprised" about female MP's alleged attack.
"Women have been saying for a long time it's getting bad out here, it's really toxic, it's really vicious," she said.
"It's something we thought was going to happen, I didn't think it was going to happen so soon."
Less than two weeks ago, EMILY's List released a report calling for online misogyny to be recognised as a form of hate speech and to strengthen protections against gender-based abuse.
"People are looking at women, and saying, 'Well, what are you going to do about it?'," Ms Anderson said.
"It's not a women's problem, we're not the ones causing the problem."