The Hunter Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) Consortium is hopeful the NSW State Budget delivers some good news to the sector in the wake of alarming figures.
It comes after the release of last week’s NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) quarterly report, which highlighted an increase in the rates of DFV-related assault and breaches of AVOs in the region.
The data provides much ammunition for the locally-based group – a collaboration of the Warlga Ngurra Aboriginal Women and Children Domestic Violence and Homelessness Service, Upper Hunter Homeless Support, Carrie’s Place Domestic Violence and Homelessness Service, Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services, Got Your Back Sista, Family Support Newcastle, Jenny’s Place Domestic Violence and Homelessness Service, Newcastle Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, Nova for Women and Children Domestic Violence and Homelessness Service – to seek additional funding for specialist services from NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookey on Tuesday 18 June.
From April 2022 to March 2024, domestic violence-related assault rose by 42.6% in Cessnock, 27.8% in Muswellbrook, 25% in Singleton, 24.8% in Port Stephens and 9.4% in Lake Macquarie while remaining stable in Maitland and Newcastle.
The two-year trend for breaches of Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) wasn’t much better.
Cessnock experienced an upsurge of 62.1% and Port Stephens 37.1%, with the remaining LGAs staying “steady”, registering between 3.3% and 8.6%.
“This information represents people who live in our communities… and the victim-survivors of these crimes are overwhelmingly women and children,” Hunter DFV Consortium regional collaborations coordinator Lisa Ronneberg said.
“It’s important to remember the BOCSAR data only captures reported incidents.
“We know there is a significant number of DFV victim-survivors who do not report to the police, so the actual rates in our region are much higher.”
The Hunter DFV Consortium outlined its priorities in its pre-budget submission earlier this year.
Since then, members have met with the Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Charlestown MP Jodie Harrison, Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson and several local MPs requesting them to advocate for their priorities.
“Our service, like all the Hunter DFV Consortium services, is extremely overwhelmed and under-resourced,” Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood Services manager Sue Pollock said.
“It’s way past time to prioritise women and children’s safety in our country.
“We’ve seen a huge increase in DFV-related assault in Port Stephens over the past two years.
“The latest BOCSAR report is alarming but unfortunately not a surprise to us.
“We are very aware that incidents of DFV assaults are increasing in our region, as we see this reflected in the number of people coming through our doors every day.
“Sadly, many of them will not be captured in those statistics as the violence has not been reported to police due to fear of increasing risk if the perpetrator of violence finds that out.”
Those sentiments were echoed by Upper Hunter Homelessness Support general manager Mary Spora.
“In our meetings with ministers and local MPs, and in our submission to the Treasurer, we reminded them of how vital it is for women and children in the Hunter, who are victim-survivors of DFV, to have timely access to specialist DFV and homelessness workers and services,” she added.
“For some, access to our services is literally a matter of life and death.”
Carrie’s Place acting CEO Ange Kiley said now was the time to act.
“We’re calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookey to make this the year that the NSW Government genuinely and significantly invests in domestic and family violence support services and prevention services,” she stated.
“If they don’t, we will continue to see the already astonishingly high rates of DFV increase in our region.”
- If you are in immediate danger, phone NSW Police on 000 (Triple Zero)
- If you need support, contact 1800 Respect on 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732
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