Violence on rise in region
REPORTED family violence incidents in the Greater Geelong region have continued to rise.
Crime Statistics Agency data show a 6.9 per cent increase in reports in Geelong in the 12 months to March.
In Geelong, there were 3214 family violence incidents reported in the 12 months to March last year, rising to 3435 to March this year.
Surf Coast family incidents rose by 11.6 per cent from 181 reports in 2017-18 to 202 in the 12 months to March, while in Colac-Otway they rose by 9.5 per cent from 317 to 347.
Statewide, 15,884 family violence cases were reported in the year to March — up 7.5 per cent from 14,777.
G21 chief executive Elaine Carbines said while there had been a reduction in family violence incidents in Golden Plains Shire and Queenscliff, overall there had been an increase of reported family violence incidents across the G21 region.
“In some cases this can be attributed to efforts undertaken by advocacy groups, who have promoted the reporting of these incidents to police, which has resulted in a higher number of recorded call outs,” Ms Carbines said.
“However, overall this is of considerable concern. Violence against women and children is never OK.
“We need to recognise that everyone has a role in opposing any forms of violence against women and children.
“We need to challenge the acceptance of violence against women and children, and create a community where women and men are equal.”
Meanwhile, in Queenscliff the rate of reported family incidents went from eight in 2017-18 to seven in the 12 months to March.
Golden Plains recorded a small decrease in reported incidents in 2018-19, down from 135 to 131 reports in the 12 months to March.
Sexual assault and family violence centre chief executive Helen Bolton said reporting of family violence was “on the rise in our community”.
Ms Bolton said the Geelong region statistics were part of a statewide trend.
“Since 2013 there have been advances in public policy and wide sweeping reforms across Victoria, such as the Royal Commission into Family Violence that have raised the profile of the issue and increased community understanding that family violence is unacceptable,” she said.
Ms Bolton said an increase in reporting was a good indicator people were receiving the assistance they needed and a decline would “only be seen after years of primary prevention efforts are rolled out across the nation”.
“There is now greater coordination between police and service providers and a stronger focus upon perpetrator accountability, law enforcement and the judiciary system, ”she said.