WA was rocked by the third domestic violence incident this year where multiple family members were murdered in their home by another family member.
This month, a Perth man murdered his wife, three young children and mother-in-law at their family home in Bedford.
Family members reported there were no signs of family violence or anything to indicate there may have been trouble or problems.
In Australia, about one woman a week and one man a month are killed as a result of violence from a current or previous partner.
A report titled Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia 2018 released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows on average eight women and two men were hospitalised each day from being assaulted by a spouse or partner.
WA Police statistics show there has been a significant spike in family violence in the last 10 years increasing from almost 9000 incidents in 2008 to more than 21,000 incidents in 2018.
In Busselton, statistics show for the year from 2016-17 there were 41 incidents reported to police, almost one a week.
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Simone McGurk said we could not sit around thinking we all do not have a part in this.
“We do. Changing the conversation around family and domestic violence is a good place to start, this includes calling out behaviour that gives licence to violent behaviour. We need a societal change,” she said.
“As a community and as government must stay focused on the things we can do to make sure family and domestic violence does not go unchallenged, be misunderstood or even ignored. We all have a role to play.”
On November 25, the statement government will start a campaign called ‘16 Days in WA’ to focus on ending violence against women.
Ms McGurk said it was about putting 16 days into the calendar to raise awareness and encourage the community to take positive action.
“This requires people like you and me to make a conscious decision to not ‘look the other way,’ she said.
“There are usually signs that everything is not alright, even though they might be subtle ones, which are noticed by someone: family and friends, work colleagues and the like.
“In the case of traumatised children, it is often school teachers.”
Busselton-based support group helping men
Busselton-based Mates Men’s Support Group is a self-funded organisation which aims to reduce domestic violence, anger management and substance abuse problems in the community.
The organisation currently has around 60 people accessing their services which was having positive outcomes for many of their clients.
Founder Robert Reekie said the most successful outcome was the men who were still with their families.
“When I first started all I saw were guys that had been kicked out and lost everything, now 97 per cent of our first point of call is wives and partners saying, they still love their husband but something had to change,” he said.
“Now we are in a position where we can help before they are kicked to the curb and make a difference, it is huge.”
Mr Reekie said there were so many factors in society which contributed to domestic violence such as higher living costs, higher utility bills and wages not increasing.
“The fact that there is so much insecurity being on casual labour, just everything plays a part and you have the drug factor on top of that,” he said.
Mr Reekie said often people did not know how to deal with stress, and a combination of really small things that happened in a certain sequence, could become the thing that “broke the camels back.”
He said a lot of the time men who had committed family violence could not recall how an argument started.
“It is getting people to remember what is more important, we take quite a brutal approach to the guys that come here,” he said.
“We put to them what is more important, the bottle or the bong or your wife and children because they have to make a choice, if it is the bottle or the bong, then they are cut loose, you are not allowed to have both.”
Mr Reekie said Mates gave their clients 24-hour access so people could contact them when they noticed early warning signs.
“We talk it through before it gets any worse and guide them through it.
“I can sit down with them and say exactly what they are going through and why they feel the way the feel when they fall onto their driveway full of anxiety instead of feeling safe.
“The fight begins when they walk through the door because they are expecting something to happen so they are looking for something to happen.”
Mr Reekie said for outsiders it would be hard to identify behaviours in a perpetrator who had not previously displayed signs of violence because it was usually masked.
“You cannot help but feel there is a big unheard story in the Beford murders because the guy was so clean cut and the way it unfolded and the events that happened, you could not pick it,” he said.
“It just goes to highlight domestic violence is not socially or gender specific, it is out there with every class and every race, even the people you think are travelling well.”
If you or someone you know needs help please contact:
- Mates Mens Support Group Busselton on 08 9751 4632
- Waratah Support Service (South West) on 1800 737 732
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline free call 1800 007 339 or 08 9223 1188
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800