PART 1
During my advocacy work I interact with social services, stakeholders and those with lived experience of domestic violence. In my discussions with these groups I find there is a common theme regarding what is needed to support people experiencing abuse and the organisations that support victim/survivors.
Priority number one is increased and longer-term funding for frontline services with proven ability to support victims of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV).
State and Federal governments have promised an increase in funding to reduce domestic violence – $15.7 million in additional funding to combat family violence in Tasmania (Premier of Tasmania website). National cabinet promised a $4.7 billion plan for frontline family violence services (ABC news website, September 6, 2024).
Unfortunately, it isn’t specified in either governments’ pledge where allocated funding is intended. What is needed is funding that is targeted and tangible: what amount of money goes where and why.
What is needed
Speaking to advocates for victims of domestic violence, a priority is increased police training that best responds in a trauma-informed way to victims of partner abuse, specifically non-fatal strangulation in a relationship and the misidentification of perpetrator and victim when police attend domestic violence call outs.
While the non-fatal strangulation laws have changed and it is now a standalone offence, little has been done to support this change. There is not enough community education, police training, or medical training. More training and a greater number of family violence dedicated units in more police stations across Tasmania is needed. I believe currently there are only three such units.
What is being received
The Attorney-General of Tasmania, Guy Barnett, has addressed domestic violence advocates with the following statement:
“The Tasmanian government is focusing on policy development that deals with training for misidentification, which in turn will heavily inform amendments re: protection orders and training to recognise the actual victim and perpetrator, especially for call outs to domestic violence incidents.”
Mandatory police refresher courses on training re misidentification and non-fatal strangulation to every police officer in the state is now in place (though in its infancy).
Two UTAS compulsory modules on victimology and family violence policing form part of the training. (In stakeholders’ opinions, two modules are insufficient to cover the scope of the issue of partner abuse, presentation of victims at a police station and the method of support police then provides.)
Mr Barnett’s department has been in touch with Tasmania Police in relation to police training regarding non-fatal strangulation and surrounding issues.
Tasmania Police provided the following information:
Since 2023, mandatory family violence refresher training for every police officer has been delivered.
2024 Misidentification Mandatory training completed by all members.
Police recruits receive training in two modules delivered by the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and experienced Tasmania Police officers. These are: Victimology and Offences Against the Person and Family Violence Policing.
Police officers also undergo family violence training as part of all promotional courses.
Following collaboration with UTAS and Griffith University, Tasmania Police has introduced interviewing techniques training, at recruit level and within investigative training, which focuses on engagement with perpetrators and victim-survivors of family violence.
Strangulation Guidelines as well as a Family Violence schedule are being prepared by DPFEM with the intention that they will form part of the Tasmanian Police Manual.
. . .
In relation to community education, when the non-fatal strangulation laws passed, the Department of Justice worked with Tasmania Legal Aid to prepare a fact sheet on the details of the legal change. This fact sheet appears as a page on Legal Aid's public webpage and includes a short video explaining the material verbally. https://www.legalaid.tas.aov.au/strangulation/
Mr Barnett also notes the role of prosecutors and the courts in demonstrating the operation of new laws and is pleased to see that prosecutions are occurring and succeeding in holding perpetrators to account as well as making a clear statement about the significance on non-fatal strangulation. The imposition of sentences will act as both a punishment and a personal and general deterrent.
Meanwhile, housing availability and security for low-income groups is in crisis. This issue and other needs of victims of DFSV requires an in-depth discussion, I will continue what we need and what we’re getting in Part 2 of this article.
Deborah Thomson moved to Tasmania with her daughter in 2010, and now lives with her partner of nine years and a parrot. She moved to escape domestic violence and, inspired by her new partner, wrote her first book, Whose Life Is It Anyway? Recognising and Surviving Domestic Violence, to help others recognise abuse (and in particular coercive control), in the home, and to increase their motivation to leave earlier. After publishing her first book, she became a trained advocate through Engender Equality, a non-government Tasmanian organisation working with people and communities impacted by family violence. Deborah Thomson advocates for survivors of family violence, speaking at domestic violence events across Tasmania, through media channels and podcasts. She recently completed a second book, detailing lived experience with domestic violence by her then husband, spanning 17 years from 1985 to 2003. This book is now used in Tasmania as an information resource for family violence counsellors and students on practicals.