Tasmania's alarming family violence numbers keep going up

Tasmania's family violence rates continue to rise, according to recent statistics. Advocates argue that attitudes towards women need to change more rapidly, while many victims remain trapped in dangerous situations due to an under-resourced system. The Tasmanian government is implementing various reforms, such as requiring behavior change courses for repeat offenders and disclosing information on social media.

There are currently 400 known serial family violence offenders in Tasmania. In the past year, more than 7,000 domestic and family violence incidents were recorded by Tasmania Police, which is more than double the number from a decade ago. Over the past decade, 12 Tasmanian women have lost their lives to violence, with more than half of these incidents being family or domestic violence-related.

One advocate, Romany Wake, has been tirelessly working to raise awareness about family violence after losing her mother, Rachel, to murder by her ex-husband five years ago. Wake believes that normalizing the issue is a significant problem, and sharing her mother's story has helped others understand that domestic violence is not a normal part of life. She hopes that her story will help at least one young person feel connected and heard, encouraging them to seek help.

Siobhan Mackay, the acting chief executive officer of Women's Legal Service Tasmania, emphasizes the need for more resources to address the underlying causes of gendered violence, such as harmful beliefs and norms. She advocates for increased investment in frontline community services, including counselling, legal services, shelters, case management, and appropriate accommodation.

Additionally, legislative reforms to better capture the patterns of behavior associated with coercive control, a levy for family violence offenders to support victims, and mandatory behavior change courses for serial offenders have been welcomed by prevention advocates.

However, there is one reform that has yet to be agreed upon—the broadening of the definition of family violence. Currently, the definition only includes people in long-term, serious relationships, while experiences involving children, in-laws, siblings, or extended family members are not covered. The Tasmanian government is working on a third tranche of reforms, which includes considering a broader definition of family violence.

The state government is also investing in early intervention and prevention programs, particularly in schools, to teach children about respectful relationships and navigate the online world with young men.