Family and domestic violence reports have reached a staggering high in Western Australia, with more offences recorded than any other year in the past decade. The government says the new figures are cause for alarm but stopped short of committing more funding for prevention or changing courses, despite urgent calls from advocates.
00:00The government was hoping today's focus would be on the opening of a brand new police station in Baldivis.
00:09It's even got a little front door, a little counter. It's impressive.
00:14A police surveillance van put on a show with flashing lights, but the spotlight was on the latest crime statistics.
00:21Today's figures are alarming, but they're also a sign that we're increasing awareness in the community.
00:28WA police data revealing in the last financial year there were more than 42,000 total offences involving assault or threatening behaviour committed in domestic and family situations, an 18 per cent increase on the previous year.
00:44WA's top cop saying those numbers are likely only scratching the surface.
00:49I have a special advisory group specifically who inform me who are industry experts in family violence and survivors themselves who tell me up to 70 per cent of women are still not reporting to the police for various reasons.
01:02Despite the spike in FDV reports, the government says it's on the right path.
01:07We continue to do what we're doing. We continue to look at new opportunities to improve the situation.
01:14Look, I don't doubt that there's extra resources that can always be deployed in this area.
01:19And if it was as simple as writing a cheque, we would have written it yesterday.
01:22But peak advocates disagree, saying the government can do more in the long term primary prevention space.
01:29Long term investment is stronger investment because it means that you'll have sustainable change, change that will be intergenerational.
01:38And that's the goal. That's what we've signed up to as well with the national plan to end violence against women and children.
01:45The government confident it's doing what it can to address the issue, while advocates hope their calls for extra funding don't fall on deaf ears.
Be the first to comment