Domestic violence rates soar in New England North West

The most recent figures from the Bureau of Crime Statics and Research (BOCSAR) show that domestic violence related assaults in the New England North West have jumped a whopping 22.3 per cent in the five years to June 2023.

The assaults are defined as actual bodily harm, common assault, grievous bodily harm, malicious assault, shoot with intent other than to murder, and spike drink or food.

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Ms Czepil, an Aboriginal-focused DV support worker at TFSS, said across the board the numbers only showed about 40 per cent of what was going on.

With only two per cent of the NSW population living in the New England region, Ms Czepil said, an alarming "4 per cent of the assaults are recorded in this area. It's ridiculous".

"What we're seeing in the community is yes, there are more people reporting, but the abuse and the assaults are increasingly becoming more severe," Ms Czepil said.

"And these women are not numbers. They are mothers, they are daughters, they are sisters and nannas, and they're getting hurt and they're getting assaulted."

Ms Czepil said even though there had been a substantial increase in funding for domestic violence in the September state budget, the majority of the funding had gone to city centres.

"Which is phenomenal for them," Ms Czepil said. "However the country areas have missed out again, and on average we hold a higher percentage of the assaults and police call outs."

Most of the $39.1 million in the state budget, to prevent domestic, family and sexual violence and to support victim safety, has been allocated to areas, including $8.1 million for Sydney's Redfern Legal Centre Financial Abuse Centre, and $4.4 million for a new specialist multicultural domestic and family violence centre in southwest Sydney.

And it is not yet known whether New England will receive any of the 48 sexual assault nurse examiners and medical and forensic officers which cost taxpayers $52.7 million in the budget or, additional funding to extend the pilot program to have DV support workers in court rooms and or police stations.

Ms Czepil said the current Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) sexual assault nurses "are not readily accessible at all times due to lack of resources and staffing we share with Newcastle", which leaves Tamworth hospital with three on-call sexual assault counsellors "which is not enough".

The region not only needs more staff, Ms Czepil said, but access to immediate and safe accommodation "because of the housing crisis, it is safer for them to stay at home than it is to leave because there's no where for them to go which is a really scary thought".

Ms Czepil said a change in attitudes towards women - because even though men are victims of domestic violence, the majority of assaults are against women - need to start in primary school and respectful relationships has to be taught alongside sex education and consent.

And there is that "old country" mindset ingrained in the regions, she said, that goes; "you just got to do right by your man and that's just your job as a wife or that's just your job as a partner".

"But that's not your job, and it's not okay," Ms Czepil said of domestic violence, including coercive control.

From July 2024, coercive control laws come into effect in NSW, making it a criminal offence to use abusive methods - such as threats, intimidation and humiliation - to control or abuse a current or former partner.

On average, one woman every week in Australia is murdered by her current or former partner.

Domestic Violence Hotline - 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14

13YARN 13 92 76

Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800

Elder Abuse Hotline 1300 651 192

Mens Referral Service 1300 766 491

Mens Line 1300 789 978

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