The Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS) has received more calls than ever to their 24/7 hotline, and an increased demand for crisis accommodation since the lockdown began, which CEO Sue Webeck thinks are good signs.

It means their message that support services are available during lockdown, and the ACT Government’s message that people can leave home to escape violence are working.

Last year’s lockdown was shorter, but the number of people seeking help decreased. This time, people are still reaching out for support.

“We’re really heartened that this lockdown has seen the continued connection of community to our crisis line,” Ms Webeck said.

“It is concerning when the phone stops ringing, because we worry that people who are experiencing violence are just not able to access safe places to engage with care and support and help when they need it.”

In fact, the number of people in emergency accommodation increased 175 per cent, from 40 people in July to 70 in August.

“We are here,” Ms Webeck said. “We are answering phones. We are providing support as and when our community needs it. People shouldn’t hesitate to reach out for support. There is legitimacy in leaving households, relationships, or living environments because of violence. We are here, and we can help navigate those processes, and provide those pathways as people need them.”

If you are in immediate danger, you should call ACT Police on 000.

If it is not an emergency and you are worried about your safety, or the safety of your family, you can call:

• Police Operations on 131 444 if it is not an emergency but you require police assistance
• The Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 02 6280 0900
• Rape Crisis Number Call 6247 2525
• 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Gender inequality

Yvette Berry, ACT Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Women, said COVID-19 had exacerbated gender inequality, one of the root causes of violence against women.

“It is clear that crises are not gender neutral,” she said. “It is deeply concerning to see increases in domestic and family violence, and more demand on essential and frontline services who continue to do incredibly important and difficult work.”

Ms Webeck agrees. “With the impact of lockdowns – home-schooling, maintaining households, maintaining employments – there is still a disproportionate workload that falls on women, which, of course, is going to drive the wedge of gender inequality further.”

Caring responsibilities for people outside the home, particularly family members or ageing friends, often fell to women, she stated. Women were overrepresented in frontline service supports, health and caring, and teaching and learning workforces. Some were also in sessional jobs or the gig economy.

“As a society, we have a long way to go in finding equality in our society, and the lockdowns are going to put us further behind,” Ms Webeck said.

The broader picture

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of victims of sexual assault in the ACT declined by 12 per cent between 2019 and 2020, and the victimisation rate declined from 77 to 67 victims per 100,000 people; 85 per cent of victims were women, and 71 per cent knew the offender.

Across Australia, however, more cases of sexual assault were recorded last year than in the previous 28 years. The sexual assault victimisation rate increased from 69 victims per 100,000 people in 1993 to 107 victims per 100,000 people in 2020. Most of the victims (84 per cent) were women.

Ms Berry noted that rates of violence and comparison across jurisdictions could be unhelpful; they did not account for regional complexities and contexts, while reported incidents only reflected those who came forward. Higher rates of reporting might indicate higher confidence in service responses, rather than higher rates of domestic and family violence.

“While the reports of domestic, family, and sexual violence in the ACT are comparable to the rest of Australia, this does not change our resolve to stop this violence before it starts,” Ms Berry said.

“I hear that often women can feel like the system isn’t helping them, and that they are falling through the cracks. I also hear that certain marginalised groups face even more barriers to support, because, for example, they have a disability, are LGBTIQA+, are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, or they are culturally and linguistically diverse.”

ACT Government protecting women

The ACT Government was improving the system through initiatives such as the Safety Action Pilot, which brings services together to case manage high-risk victim-survivors and perpetrators, and educating ACT students to stop violence before it happens.

Earlier this year, the ACT Government established a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Working Group; set up three more working groups to focus on prevention, response, and law reform; and increased the Safer Families Levy.

In addition to these funded services, the 2021/22 Budget includes.

·        $2.2 million over four years for more frontline domestic violence and rape crisis services through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre and the Domestic Violence Crisis Centre.

·        $4.1 million over four years for the Health Justice Partnerships program: lawyers across Legal Aid and Women’s Legal Centre will help women presenting in healthcare and hospitals.

·        $817,000 over four years for rental assistance for people experiencing domestic and family violence.

·        $1.4 million over four years for the Safer Families Collaboration Program. Two full-time staff in the Domestic Violence Crisis Service work with ACT Child Youth Protection Services. The Safe and Together Institute will train frontline child protection workers.

·        $790,000 over four years to scope and design domestic and family violence responses for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, in response to the We Don’t Shoot Our Wounded Report.  This will include sitting fees for the Domestic Violence Prevention Council Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reference group.

·        $249,000 for the Family Violence Safety Action Pilot, to better respond to the needs of high-risk families.

·        $400,000 over four years to continue funding Women’s Safety Grants.

·        $1.5 million over four years for the landmark Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program to develop a robust approach to sexual assault in Canberra that focuses on prevention, response, law reform, and workplace safety.

Full details of the funding and delivery through the Safer Families Levy will be provided when the ACT Budget is delivered.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, you can call or visit the website of:

• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
• Canberra Rape Crisis Centre: 02 6247 2525
• Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT: 02 6280 0900
• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• In an emergency, call 000

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