INDUSTRY WORKERS WEIGH IN ON HOW TO IDENTIFY WARNING SIGNS AND COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WHEN Hannah Clarke and her three children were murdered by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter in 2020, the world began to look at domestic violence very differently, but so much more progression is still needed.
Domestic Violence Action Centre (DVAC) Toowoomba service manager Kath Turley said since the organisation expanded to the region in 2017, data showed a steady increase in people reaching out for support.
In fact, the number of referrals received from police in the past 12 months alone had increased by almost 60% and the service had engaged with more than 820 new people since the beginning of the year.
One of the key indicators measured when domestic violence is reported is the element of fear or signs of an uneven power distribution.
Ms Turley said while victims often believed they chose violent partners, perpetrators often used a number of strategies and tools to focus their attention and develop a relationship with someone who was often vulnerable.
She said once the perpetrator felt they were in control of the victim, they would often try to isolate them from loved ones to gain more control.
“I absolutely believe domestic violence is a choice and using behaviours that cause fear are strategies … sometimes perpetrators can even switch these behaviours on and off which is very tactful,” Ms Turley said.
“If we’re serious about tackling and ending domestic violence, it’s not just about offering support to victims, but providing resources to individuals who use violence.
“We’re strongly advocating to have more services available to individuals who can access support around their values and beliefs because it’s not as simple as an anger management course … an entire intervention process is needed to change their belief that they have the right to control someone, and that takes time,” she said.
DVAC team leader Sarah Warner said the service centre was responding to huge numbers but more resources were required to meet the demand.
“The death of Hannah Clarke and her children was absolutely devastating, but it’s not something that we hadn’t seen before,” Ms Warner said.
“I think we finally saw a level of emotional response in people that was worthy of these incidents in that moment.”
While domestic violence is often defined as physical, emotional and verbal abuse, it can also be as simple as a look, used to instigate fear.
Ms Turley said another misconception often made about domestic violence was that it primarily impacted people from low socioeconomical backgrounds, however this was not the case.
Recommendations from the Hannah Clarke inquest which concluded in March, included additional training and resources, improved communication and information sharing.