Domestic Violence in the Eastern Suburbs.
Published 26 March 2024
When I first entered Parliament, just under a year ago, I asked the local police in my community what their greatest concern was. What was the issue that took up most of their time? For some reason, I thought it would be car theft, drugs or crime that is visible. But I was deeply saddened that it was, and still is, domestic violence [DV]. I am getting nods across the Chamber. I will talk about the issue of escalating domestic violence cases in the eastern suburbs, distressing cuts to funding and some of the brave local women and their supporters who are speaking out. The NSW Women's Safety Commissioner, Dr Hannah Tonkin, said:
Domestic, family and sexual violence … traumatises individuals, destroys families and undermines our ability to achieve equality in the community. It can be experienced by anyone, regardless of their background. It affects all groups, demographics, identities and communities.
I reiterate that key point: It can be experienced by any community. Since being elected, I have had the opportunity to talk to local women, police, DV groups, charities and constituents about the prevalence of domestic and family violence in the eastern suburbs, to listen to their stories and hear what needs to be done for our local community. Last week's crime statistics confirm what many have already told me. We have seen a 16.2 per cent increase in domestic violence related assaults in the eastern suburbs in the past two years. Last year alone there were 778 reported cases of domestic violence in the east. Plenty more go unreported, and many women self-report to the agencies. In New South Wales, police respond to a call about domestic and family violence every four minutes. Often, statistics like those seem cold—just numbers on a page. But they are sobering statistics. Behind every one of those statistics is the story of an individual.
Last Friday I spoke with two of my constituents with a lived experience of domestic violence. They were strong women, both with children in local schools. They were working hard to rebuild their lives and ensure stability, financial security and certainty for themselves and their children, particularly through finding long-term housing. What got to me was how hard they sought to hide their own stress and fear of their situations from their children. They did not want their children to worry. They are amazing mums. I note that priority 6 of the NSW Women's Safety Commissioner Strategic Plan, released last week, did talk directly to the issue of economic safety and security. It highlighted the reality that DV generates significant financial costs for women and contributes to high levels of financial stress.
Often what I have heard in my community is the prevalence of economic abuse as a form of domestic and family violence in the eastern suburbs. Unfortunately, economic abuse remains poorly understood in the community, so I am glad that the plan has prioritised it. We know that economic security is a key factor influencing a woman's decision to leave, stay in or return to an abusive relationship. What has been made clear from my conversations with constituents, women's groups and charities in recent weeks is just how important it is that we have a well-resourced DV service in the eastern suburbs.
That is why it was incredibly disappointing that the Federal Government recently decided to discontinue funding to a DV support charity in the eastern suburbs, the Lokahi Foundation, which currently provides case management support for 35 women and their families. The eastern suburbs cannot afford a net loss in funding and services for DV in our community. Today in Parliament, when asked about the cuts to the Lokahi Foundation, the Minister with responsibility for domestic and family violence services confirmed, "There is currently no funding available for the Lokahi Foundation." She said that the clients can be serviced by existing State government funded services. But I know those services are oversubscribed, and they cannot cope. Our services deserve financial security and stability. A begging-bowl approach to DV funding just does not work. We cannot afford to lose more funding as cases are increasing. That maths does not work. Vulnerable women and families rely on those services, and we cannot let them down.
