Police attend 150 DV call-outs a week
GOLD Coast police are being called to more than 20 domestic violence cases every day.
On average local police are attending 150 DV callouts each week, ranging in scale from extreme violence to menacing and harassing their partner on social media.
The battle against domestic violence is being waged on more than one front, with the Gold Coast hospital social workers also assisting upwards of 60 victims each month.
With Domestic and Family Violence Prevention month upon us, police and other agencies are coming together to call on people to speak up about DV to help protect victims.
In the past week, police have arrested and charged dozens of offenders for breaching domestic violence orders, assault, strangulation and other DV offences.
Detective Inspector Marc Hogan said there had been two deaths on the Coast this financial year, where they would allege DV played a part.
“Our goal is preventing homicides and providing solutions to really complex environments (in DV relationships),” Insp Hogan said.
“It’s still our No.1 call for service (DV). On average police will respond to around 150 DV matters a week.
“We are seeing anything from extreme violence down, involving, worryingly, a lot of times young children.
“It’s really complex stuff … police having to deal with environments, where they just can’t provide a response and walk out, it’s got to be done right to make sure people are being cared for.”
Insp Hogan said just this week they prevented the potential death of a woman, allegedly at the hands of her partner.
“We will allege he is an extremely violent, high-end DV offender and made threats to kill and intimating that he was in the process of coming to Queensland.
“We investigated the matter up this end and found out he was on a national DV order from another state.
“We engaged with that state’s police and intervened early to have a positive outcome in this instance.”
Gold Coast Health Domestic and Family Violence coordinator Kym Tighe said they can often be the frontline when working with DV victims.
“We have really experienced social workers that work in our emergency department, who work closely with women who come in presenting with domestic violence,” Mr Tighe said.
“We are working with a crisis at this point.
“We would be looking at, and this is just women who disclose, in excess of 60 victims a month … we want them (victims) to know that we are here and we are available to support them.”
She said the partnerships formed across the Coast were helping to get victims out of dangerous situations.
“It’s about providing a better response to domestic and family violence,” she said.
If you or someone you know is impacted by family violence, phone 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, phone 000.