This story concerns domestic violence. If you need help, ring the Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 6280 0900 or the national counselling line 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). In a life-threatening emergency, ring the police on 000.

Reports of domestic violence have increased twofold in the ACT over the last dozen years. While the ACT Government has budgeted more than $12 million to address the problem, other political candidates believe more needs to be done.

“We’re in a domestic, family and sexual violence crisis,” says Independents for Canberra candidate Paula McGrady, who has worked at Doris Women’s Refuge and the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre for more than a decade. “‘Crisis’ means we need action now.”

ACT Policing has responded to almost 2,000 domestic and family violence incidents this year alone, says Mark Richardson, a police inspector when not standing as an Independents for Canberra candidate.

The number of family violence incidents that ACT police attended increased by 20 per cent last year.

The number of domestic assaults in the ACT has doubled, from 825 offences in 2012–13 to 1,500 in 2022–23, and the rate of offences has increased by 150 per cent, from 219.1 to 328.5 per 100,000 people, Mr Richardson says.

Nationally, the rate of women murdered by an intimate partner increased by 30 per cent last year, according to the Australian Institute of Criminology.

“Domestic and family violence is top of mind in probably every jurisdiction in Australia,” Mr Richardson said. “There have been countless murders committed in Australia in recent history where the circumstances would fit under the definition of domestic and family violence.”

Services cannot meet demand

Sue Webeck, CEO of the Domestic Violence Crisis Service, describes a system under significant strain: demand is greater than ever, and response services are struggling to keep up.

In 2021, DVCS, under-resourced even then, Ms Webeck said, serviced 850 clients a month; it now services up to 1,400 clients, but its resourcing has not proportionally increased.

“The need from our community far outstrips the resourcing of frontline agencies to respond effectively, promptly, and appropriately for each individual who might be looking for support,” Ms Webeck said – whether that be people seeking help to change abusive behaviour, victims in need of risk assessments and safety planning, or other service providers requesting advice.

One reason for the increase in domestic violence incidents, Ms Webeck suggests, might be that more people recognise domestic violence behaviours in their relationships, and feel more confident to report it or come forward for assistance, not necessarily an increase in violence itself.

“It’s not an easy line to draw in any way to say that more people are experiencing it,” she said.

In fact, many victims do not want to leave their abusive relationships, Ms Webeck said; they want to feel safe rather than separate from their partners.

Nevertheless, the increasing complexity of the system adds to the difficulties for agencies: delays in triaging people into programs or services, such as group work or legal aid, are increasing, according to Ms Webeck.

“In order to respond to someone’s request for support, we might have to spend hours … filling out forms and navigating the system, where five years ago, it might have been two or three phone calls. The system has gotten significantly larger, and takes more time and expertise to navigate…”

Ms McGrady also believes that “unrelenting and unnecessary administrative requirements” hinder frontline workers, taking them away from hands-on crisis care.

“I know firsthand that we don’t have enough support services in place,” Ms McGrady said. “We don’t do anywhere near enough to keep women and children safe.”

Some people miss out on support when they need it most, Ms Webeck worries: DVCS cannot answer every phone call, and some callers do not leave voicemail.

“For those of us in frontline service agencies,” Ms Webeck said, “it’s deeply problematic, because those numbers represent people, and they’re people that we exist to serve – and we are currently not being enabled to do so.”

ACT Government response

Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury acknowledges that the domestic violence and sexual assault rates in the ACT have risen dramatically over the past decade.

“It’s a key area we are working on,” he said.

To that end, the 2024–25 Budget includes more than $12 million over four years to address domestic, family, and sexual violence. Most of this is for frontline services – DVCS, YWCA Canberra, Beryl Women Inc, EveryMan, Legal Aid, Victim Support ACT – to increase their capacity to support people in need, deliver behaviour change programs, and reduce the risks of violence in the community.

The Gender Equality in Schools program is promoting respectful relationships education. The government is working with adult victim-survivors to improve service and system responses. A new risk assessment and management framework will help professionals manage domestic and family violence risks, alongside reforms to improve how agencies share information.

ACT Policing created a High-Risk Domestic and Family Violence Investigation Unit in June, and a prosecutor has been embedded within the force to boost investigation into sexual assault and child abuse. Following the ACT Sexual Assault Police Review, the government is considering further measures to strengthen responses to sexual violence.

Legislative reforms such as the Family Violence Amendment Act 2022 and the Sexual, Family and Personal Violence Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 have aimed to address domestic violence.

Ms Webeck stresses that while legislative changes are important, they are not the only way to create change. The criminal justice system, she argues, can often take a long time, traumatise victims, and leave them feeling that justice has not been served. Moreover, it can sometimes increase risks for victims.

“We are still seeing a high flowthrough rate of people charged with offences being bailed quickly, released into the community with minimal restrictions,” Ms Webeck said.

“Or, when they are incarcerated, they are deprived of liberty without necessarily addressing behaviour change or recidivism support. This potentially means they pose an even higher risk to the person whom they harmed when they are released, because they see them as responsible for their deprivation of liberty.”

What the Canberra Liberals would do

Canberra Liberals MLA Leanne Castley, shadow minister for the prevention of domestic and family violence, believes the legislation has not been effective.

“99 per cent of intimate partner homicides are preceded by coercive control, and yet the Labor-Greens government refuses to give our police and justice system the tools to intervene before tragedy occurs,” Ms Castley said. “The status quo is simply not good enough. We need to adopt a preventative approach to domestic and family violence to save lives and keep families together.”

The Canberra Liberals have promised to legislate a standalone criminal offence for coercive control (their bill failed to pass the Legislative Assembly this term), and implement a coercive control education program developed with frontline service providers and victim-survivors.

They would also establish two specialised domestic violence fast-response units including police officers, medical personnel, and social workers.

“Domestic and family violence is a scourge in our society, and a Canberra Liberals Government will deliver more support where it is needed most – on our frontline – to ensure that we do everything we can to support those that need it most,” Ms Castley said.

Independents for Canberra

Independents for Canberra have committed to similar policies: improved legislation to protect against coercive control and abuse; community education and training programs across the criminal justice system; more housing for women and children escaping violence.

“Physical violence in a household is almost always preceded by other forms of control and abuse,” Ms McGrady said. “We are leaving women completely exposed by failing to legislate against coercive control.”

“Crisis service providers are being forced to triage women who are reaching out for help,” leader Thomas Emerson said. “We’re telling women experiencing violence that they’ll just have to wait it out because we don’t have a home for them. We can’t keep turning vulnerable people away. Women experiencing violence in Canberra need access to dedicated housing supported by wraparound services.”

Both the Liberals and the Independents would make sure that funds raised through the Safer Families Levy went directly to frontline services. The government increased the levy from $30 to $50 this term. However, Mr Emerson said several service providers in the woman’s safety sector report they have not received any of this funding. One provider told him their funding was cut in 2013 and only reached previous levels after 10 years.

DVCS want you to call

Ms Webeck urges anyone who needs help to ring DVCS (crisis line 6280 0900). More contacts online.

“For the community, it doesn’t matter what’s said publicly about the volume of people needing support and the ability of services to respond,” Ms Webeck said.

“Frontline services want you to call if you need support, if you want to check something, if you want to start a gentle conversation, or if you need an immediate response. We want you to call, leave a voicemail, and we will get back to you as soon as possible if we don’t answer the phone the first time. Please keep calling. That’s what we’re here for.”