Police warn: numbers don't tell full story

by Aidan Knight
A drop in reported family violence incidents over the past year does not mean the problem is easing, according to local police who warned that many serious cases never reach police or support services.
Detective senior sergeant Rod Finlayson, who heads the division's Family Violence Investigation Unit (FVIU), told residents at a recent Neighbourhood Policing Forum there were 1198 reported family violence incidents in the Baw Baw police service area last year, down from 1321 the year before – a 9.3 per cent decrease.
But, Sgt Finlayson spoke bluntly on his interpretation of the figures.

"I look at that figure and say, 'well, we're down 9.3 per cent.' I don't necessarily believe that we've had less. I just believe that less is being reported to us," he said.

He traced major changes in Victoria's approach back to the Royal Commission into Family Violence, which he said triggered a "massive cultural change across not only Victoria Police but our entire community as well as our courts (and) our human services."
The Royal Commission led to the creation of family violence units and the Victorian Orange Door network, as well as expansion of regional Centres Against Sexual Assault, and additional information-sharing laws between agencies.
"The idea was taking family violence from a policing response into a community response," Sgt Finlayson said, adding that police now sit on local family violence alliances, risk panels and health forums across Gippsland. While every uniform officer still investigates family violence, specialist teams then take on high–risk and repeat cases, working closely with courts and services," he said.
Police have launched a new operation across the Eastern Region, Operation Taurus, which targets recidivist family violence and high–risk perpetrators, rather than individual incidents.
A recidivist case is defined as three or more incidents in 12 months, but Taurus also looks at other red–flag situations where risk may be escalating without charges being laid
Police said information sharing had been strengthened by new legislation, allowing agencies to warn potential victims about an offender's history - something police were restricted from doing. While there remains to be no public register for domestic violence offenders, Sgt Finlayson emphasised Orange Door had the ability to legally share relevant information to a person seeking assistance.
"If someone has been involved (as a perpetrator) in a relationship, and then becomes involved in a different relationship, we are able if that new person engages with the Orange Door, to have them tell that (new) person about this perpetrator's history," he said.
Police stressed the importance of neighbours, colleagues and friends contacting police or Orange Door when they were concerned.
"There's someone in that person's life that had a sense," Sgt Finlayson said, noting that 60 to 70 per cent of family violence homicides had no prior contact with police or services.
Teachers and doctors were singled out as key early warning points. Sgt Finlayson said he recently briefed 100 second year doctors at Monash Rural Health in Gippsland on how to recognise and respond to family violence.
Sgt Finlayson said homicide numbers fluctuated year to year and were heavily reported in the media, but argued the focus also needed to be on serious, non–fatal harm.
"While I absolutely agree that every woman (or) child killed at the hands of an intimate partner is absolutely tragic…there is a considerable number that are seriously harmed that we don't talk about," he said.
He reiterated that as stigma fell and awareness grew, reports were expected to climb for years, even if offending stabilised.
If you or someone you know needs help, in an emergency call 000, contact Safe Steps on 1800 015 188, gain 24-hour support from 1800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732 or contact Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Assault on 1800 806 292.