Family violence has become a widely discussed topic in Australia. In Victoria, we’ve even seen a Royal Commission into family violence. Although a widely discussed topic, the data on family violence in Australia is few and far between. ABC Fact Check highlighted this issue in April 2016.
Victoria Police released data from 2009 to 2014 with statistics on reported family incidents in each local government area (LGA). The data revealed five LGAs which had the highest percentage increase in reported family incidents when comparing the 2009/10 and 2013/14 data.
The chart above shows in green the 2009/10 reported family incidents, and in red the number of family incidents reported in 2013/14, in the respective LGAs.
In the Colac-Otway Shire alone, reported family incidents increased by 307% from the 2009/10 period to the 2013/14 period. In Moira, 307%, in the Northern Grampians, 180%, in Maribyrnong, 179% and in East Gippsland, 158%. To look at the areas on a map, click here.
Each of these areas today have several services available to the community for legal help, counselling and guidance and support through the stages of leaving an abusive relationship. In the Colac-Otway region, there are a total of nine services for both women and men and even a specialty service for Aboriginal members of the community. However, East Gippsland has four services available, one specifically for Aboriginal members of the community but none specifically for men.
The above chart offers a visual of the population of these Local Government Areas as of the 2011 Census, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Colac-Otway Shire may have the smallest population out of the five LGAs, but it has still had the highest increase in reporting family incidents in Victoria. In April 2016, the Colac Herald reported the State Government had committed $11.47 million to build a new police station for the area. The Colac Herald also reported Police Association secretary Ron Idles had described the current station as among the worst in Victoria.
The charts above show changes in the amount of intervention orders (IVOs) applied for from 2009/10 to 2013/14. They also show the changes in the amount of charges laid for family incidents from 2009/10 to 2013/14.
The Colac-Otway Shire had the highest change (in percentage) in charges laid from these time periods. The amount of charges laid increased by 839% from 2009/10 to 2013/14. Colac Area Health has a woman’s counselling service which not only provides individual counselling for women, but provides court support services, runs secondary school programs “focused around gender-based issues of power and control…”
In comparison, the Moira shire has counselling services available and in one area, there is a visiting “Family Violence Outreach Worker” service available. These are about the only family violence services available to this community. Other than the national helplines, for instance, 1800RESPECT.
In the Maribyrnong area, a similar service to the Colac-Otway shire service exists. In the Northern Grampians Shire, a victim (or perpetrator seeking help) must contact the intake worker for Grampians Community Health to receive a referral for one of their three offices and to make an appointment. The website does not state what services are offered by this organisation for family violence victims. In the East Gippsland Shire, a counselling service is available, but to access the program “you must be a woman who is dealing with issues of family violence…If you have children, your child must be five years and above to see the counsellor.” The service also provides men’s behaviour change programs. The counselling for women is free, the men’s change programs cost $20 for the first session and any sessions following are $5.
