South West domestic violence crisis as cases increase by 20 per cent

The South West is facing a crisis behind closed doors, with domestic violence cases increasing by 20 per cent over the past two years, forcing support services to adapt their victim-support services as resources are stretched to their limits. A swathe of charges are making their way through the region’s courtrooms as two WA laws passed in 2020 have allowed police to target some of the most insidious types of domestic abuse — suffocation, strangulation, and repeat offending. Research shows offenders who non-fatally strangle their victim are seven times more likely to go on to kill them. But while the courts play catch up to this long-overdue legislation, South West victim support groups are crying out for funding as their staff, servicing abilities and refuge capacities are stretched to their limits. Support groups have found ways to adapt the help they offer in order to keep these victims safer in an unsafe environment. For the victims forced to stay in abusive homes long after they want to flee, it can feel like they will be “stuck there forever”. Bunbury mother of three Cassandra O’Hare suffered years of abuse at the hands of a former partner, starting when she was 16. Her partner subjected her to emotional and psychological abuse, financial abuse to the point where she was later forced to declare bankruptcy, as well as using controlling and coercive behaviour to get her to engage in sexual acts. Her abuser repeatedly used their child as a way of manipulating Ms O’Hare to do what he wanted. “He was very controlling,” Ms O’Hare said. “He would go through my stuff, he would take my phone away from me, I would be at the shops and he would be messaging me asking where I am, why I’m taking so long and would accuse me of cheating on him. “There was a point where I just sat down, crying my eyes out thinking I was stuck there forever. “I felt like I had no control or any power to do anything about it.” With the help of support services groups Ms O’Hare was able to escape her abuser with her children, but she is one of the lucky ones. Vasse MLA Libby Mettam believes the pandemic, particularly the closed border, has amplified family and domestic violence issues throughout WA. “It has meant that many families and women experiencing violence have had no escape and have been unable to travel to see extended family and other support networks,” she said. “Both police and family violence community support services have reported at least a 20 per cent increase in the number of cases.” This is only a fraction of the real figures, with many emotional and psychological cases of abuse going unreported to police. “Women’s refuges are reporting women are staying longer as they don’t want to leave the area and destabilise their children’s school and support network but there simply isn’t any housing available,” Ms Mettam said. This means women are often forced to return to an abusive home environment, prompting support services to refocus their efforts. Earlier this year DVassist, WA’s telephone support service for regional victims, expanded its operating hours due to high numbers of people calling outside of their previous 10am to 10pm operating times. The service now runs from 7am to midnight, seven days a week. “Physical isolation, limited local resources and the fear of being the subject of gossip in a small community can stop those living outside the metropolitan area getting help and we have to remove those barriers,” DVassist’s chief executive officer Greg Hebble said. The service’s clinical team are now reporting that almost 100 per cent of calls they receive relate to emotional abuse, on top of other forms of violence. “Emotional abuse doesn’t leave bruises and it is often difficult to show proof that it is occurring,” Mr Hebble said. “But it destroys your self-esteem and can leave you feeling anxious, worthless, and even depressed, and that is equally as harmful as physical abuse.” Despite increased pressure on support services, WA is making headway when it comes to criminalising family abuse, passing two key pieces of legislation. Laws around “suffocation and strangulation” and “persistent family violence” came into effect in WA in October 2020. The State Government last month began the community consultation process, gauging whether coercive control was being addressed by current laws, or if these needed to be bolstered. Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Simone McGurk said family and domestic violence is a major problem across WA. “The introduction of the new criminal offence of strangulation or suffocation is a significant milestone, as this is one of the most lethal types of family and domestic violence,” she said. Ms McGurk said the persistent family violence charge had given courts a way of recognising that physical and psychological abuse against a partner often occurs over a number of years. “Not only does this new offence attract a tougher penalty in the courts, it also helps makes the legal process less onerous for victim-survivors,” she said. As of November 2021, there were 646 charges of strangulation/suffocation in WA — 116 of these resulting in convictions — and 37 charges of persistent family violence, with six convictions. South West District superintendent Geoff Stewart told the South Western Times more than 30 serial family violence offender applications had been made to the courts by the South West Family Violence Team. He said family violence occurs across all levels of society and each case is individual, with no particular pattern of offending. “While some victims will report and support a prosecution on the first instance, some remain in a relationship with a perpetrator for years and there can be many reasons for this such as keeping the family unit together, financial, fear of leaving and what might happen in they do, threats or coercion by the perpetrator or extended family,” he said. “Statistics show that it takes about seven attempts to leave a toxic relationship, this is seen as a time of risk for the victims which often needs some form of planning to leave at a safe time.” Over at the coalface of family violence support, it’s unfortunately business as usual. South West Women’s Refuge chief executive officer Ally White said legal changes may have seen increasing numbers through the court, but the service had seen no change to its frontline work, with capacity always stretched to the limits. “Repeat breaches of Family Violence Restraining Orders, death threats, verbal abuse and physical attacks are par for the course for women seeking refuge at the service,” Ms White said. “Most women who come through here have experienced multiple forms of violence.” She said a key reason many women are afraid of leaving abusive partners is financial abuse, which can often stem from physical assaults. Ms White has been lobbying all levels of government to make ambulance services free for domestic violence victims. The perpetrator of the violence very rarely picks up the bill for the injuries they inflict. “Every time an ambulance is called, it’s $1000,” Ms White said. “Some women ask their neighbours not to call an ambulance because they know it will cost them.” The refuge’s financial counsellor spends the bulk of her time liaising with debt collectors trying to create a payment plan for these ambulance fees. In June, funding for the counsellor’s contract runs out. “We’re trying to get this funding extended. We need a dedicated financial services advisor,” Ms White said, but she knows refuges are not the answer. “We’re just dealing with the poor, broken women,” she said. “Cultural change is needed. Attitudes have to change. “Domestic abuse is a symptom of a society with a culture and attitudes that no longer belong.” If you need to talk about your own situation or that of a loved one you can call DVassist on 1800 080 083, South West Refuge on 9791 2894 Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800, or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Or go online to South West Women’s Refuge, DVassist, Kids Helpline, Lifeline or find other support services here.