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Domestic violence victims in Australia looking to law enforcement for protection are being failed time and again. Too often, this failure costs women their lives. Ensure better treatment and safeguards for victims of deadly violence.
Ms Wilkinson, 27, was reportedly discovered in the backyard of her Arundel home last month having suffered fatal burns. It is understood both women had been in daily contact with police regarding concerns about their safety in the lead up to their deaths. Tragically, the incidents appear to be among the many preventable DV deaths reported in Queensland. Doreen Langham and her ex-partner Gary Hely, the man alleged to have killed her. New data by DVAC - an emergency service available to victims - recently revealed an 18 per cent increase in clients across Ipswich since 2018. The number of survivors seeking Sexual Violence Services also reportedly increased by 55 per cent spike during the same period.
Last modified on Sat 8 May 2021 20.01 EDT
Six months before she was murdered, Noelene Beutel was beaten within an inch of her life; beaten so badly she ended up in hospital, her teeth cracked and her face covered in bruises.
Two Queensland police officers came to the hospital to take a statement, but Noelene wouldnât speak to them. She was antagonistic â a response borne of fear and distress. At the same time her attacker was at home, looking after their infant daughter.
So the police turned and left. According to the state coroner they âresponded poorly ⦠and wrote off the jobâ.
Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety found last year that police responses often displayed “racism and biased attitudes”.
The result is a larger number of First Nations women listed as perpetrators of domestic violence; and what their advocates say is a failure by police to properly understand their circumstances.
In February, the Queensland government announced a taskforce would be established to consult with domestic violence survivors, service providers, lawyers and the general community about coercive control, which includes tactics such as blocking victims’ access to money and cutting them off from friends and family.
The taskforce is set to report back in October on possible legislative options.