Services struggling to keep up with DFV demand
By Sonia Isaacs
DVCONNECT, a leading Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) support service, reports receiving a call for help every four minutes.
Speaking to GC&M News, Michelle Royes, Director of Clinical Governance, at DVConnect, confirmed incoming calls to the services Womensline had increased by 35% in the last quarter.
She said the Queensland base service was struggling to keep up with demand.
“Our funding is already failing to meet this demand let alone keep pace with the increases we are seeing in the last six months alone,” Ms Royse said.
This increase in reported DFV and resulting demand on community resources is echoed by Queensland Police Service (QPS) representatives.
Last week speaking in Maleny at the SpeakUp Now candlelight vigil honouring those who had lost their lives to DFV, the Sunshine Coast QPS lead for DFV and VPU (Vulnerable Person’s Unit), Senior Sergeant Jonathan McBride said last financial year QPS attended 171,000 DFV-related incidents.
“DFV happens in every suburb and the numbers are only increasing. Dealing with DFV requires a huge demand on QPS resources, with approximately 50% of all policing is DFV related,” he said.
Snr. Sgt McBride said there was still a long way to go, and unfortunately DFV still remained a hidden or unreported crime.
He said continuing to raise awareness of DFV was vital.
He said over the last seven years the figures for DFV had doubled, with QPS struggling to keep up with the numbers.
“There still remains a massive gender inequality in cases of DFV. Men play a key role in addressing this in our community,” Snr. Sgt McBride said
Snr. Sgt McBride said he believed there had been a significant change in community education and awareness around DFV in recent years, however there was still work to be done in challenging and changing values, behaviour, attitudes and beliefs around DFV.
1800Respect (www.1800respect.org.au) on 1800 737 732 (for 24/7 counselling support)
