A ZERO-TOLERANCE community attitude and increased policing in the area of family violence have contributed to a 52 per cent spike in local domestic violence reports, police say.
Swan Hill’s police raised the stakes on family violence across region in the past year, charging record amounts of perpetrators with criminal offences.
A more aggressive shift in the stance of authorities, coupled with reduced tolerance in community attitudes, has been attributed to a spike in reports of domestic violence in the past year, but police said they hoped in the long term, the trend would plateau and decrease.
Data released earlier this month shows rates of domestic violence rising for the past five years, with reports of family violence-related incidents jumping 52.5 per cent in the Swan Hill municipality, while the number of criminal charges issued increased by 39 per cent in 2011-12 compared to the year before.
Swan Hill police reported 456 incidents of family violence in the Swan Hill local government area, which resulted in 163 charges being laid.
Police said women were the overwhelming majority of victims of domestic abuse, while children were present in slightly more than a third of reported incidents.
Swan Hill police Inspector Jamie Templeton acknowledged the rise in family violence was significant, but he said some of the increase was due to the efforts of a family violence unit installed earlier this year.
Along with other police stations around the state, family violence liaison officers joined Swan Hill, Mildura and Kerang police at the beginning of this year.
One of the main aims in creating the liaison officer was to create a ‘one-stop shop’ for victims, courts and social services to contact police, Inspector Templeton said.
Inspector Templeton said it was a “highly stressful role”, with about 50 incidents of family violence a month recorded in the Swan Hill Police service area (PSA), encompassing Swan Hill, Buloke and Gannawarra shires.
The current liaison officer has been in the role for four months, after her predecessor “burnt out” in six months despite performing well, Inspector Templeton said.
The local area commander said police action was having an effect on increased family violence reporting in the Swan Hill region, with all police officers receiving extra training in dealing with domestic incidents.
But he said a shift in community attitudes was also contributing.
“That’s not just about us, that’s about the whole community, state, and Australia-wide as well.
“We hope that the aggrieved family members, the women, are saying ‘no more family violence’.”
He said through targeting the patterns of offending and other methods, it was hoped the initial rise in family violence reports would subside.
Swan Hill’s current family violence liaison officer Abbie Moloney said there were often misconceptions about what family violence was.
“To begin with… family members should never be afraid for their safety or their children’s safety.
“I think a lot of people, when they first think ‘family violence’, think it’s physical and assaults, but family violence is a lot broader than that.
“It might be controlling behaviour, things like ‘You’re not home’, ‘Where have you been?’, controlling calls or text messages, that kind of stuff.”
On police family violence statistics, Inspector Jamie Templeton said it was important to note that domestic violence incidents in Robinvale were recorded as incidents in the Swan Hill municipality, but those offenders were charged in Mildura for legal reasons. He said the town accounted for one-third of incidents recorded in the Swan Hill local government area.
If you or anyone you know may be in need of assistance, the Womens’ Domestic Violence Crisis Service can be contacted on 1800 015 188 or 9322 3555. Swan Hill Police can be contacted on 5036 1600. In an emergency situation, dial 000 for assistance.
