VICTORIA Police says it is focused on arresting family violence offenders as statewide incidents rise. The number of family incidents in the Frankston municipality rose by a shocking 17.1 percent in 2023. Crime Statistics Agency figures show that there were 2940 family incidents recorded in the Frankston LGA in 2023, up from 2511 in 2022. The family incident rate per 100,000 people was its highest in at least five years. Women are disproportionately the victims of family violence. Women were recorded as the affected parties in family incidents in Frankston almost three times more than men were.
In a statement, Victoria Police said it was working to try and reduce the rate of family violence. It said it had led a “crackdown” which has “led to a record number of offenders being arrested and brought before the courts each day.” “Frontline police and specialised teams – including Family Violence Investigation Units and the Family Violence Command Taskforce – are proactively targeting and apprehending offenders for family violence crimes to ensure the safety of victim-survivors,” Victoria Police said.
Family violence command assistant commissioner Lauren Callaway said that police will work tirelessly to track down offenders. “Family violence is completely unacceptable and there is never an excuse or justification for the crime,” she said. “We have thousands of police officers across Victoria working tirelessly to apprehend family violence perpetrators and bring them before the courts to ensure the safety of victim-survivors.
“We need family violence perpetrators to stop and really think of the damage they are doing to their partners and children. Some go to great lengths to avoid apprehension – including blackmailing victim-survivors or using friends to keep them in hiding – but they’re always in the sights of police. Our message to family violence perpetrators is clear – closed doors will not protect you from being tracked down and held to account.”
The Crime Statistics Agency figures show that 29,233 family violence offenders were either arrested or summonsed to court statewide in 2023.
Family violence support is available at Safe Steps – it can be contacted at 1800 015 188 or safesteps@safesteps.org.au. In an emergency call 000.
First published in the Frankston Times – 23rd April 2024