Queensland needs an inquiry into police domestic violence mindset

To punish this officer with a suspended prison sentence is a slap in the face for all domestic violence victims in Queensland, as it makes a mockery of the state government domestic violence campaigns. The Premier and Police Minister need to step up immediately and launch a formal inquiry into the police mindset in this state.

The rate of women being killed due to domestic violence has increased this year from one death a week to 1.4 a week, and with barely two months left of 2019, already 55 women have been lost to alleged acts of murder or manslaughter – 11 of them in in September alone.

The laws relating to domestic violence need a complete overhaul and be classified as criminal offences from the outset.

Currently it's a private civil matter between parties. It's a societal problem and should be treated as such.

I endorse remarks by Former Liberal NSW government minister Pru Goward who has said while there has been much progress in helping DV victims, the perpetrators seem to remain largely invisible.

"Despite 20 years of royal commissions, reviews and inquiries, it is still possible for a domestic violence offender to go through the entire legal process without ever having to account for his (it is mostly, but not always, a man) behaviour; without having to apologise.

"And very often, even if found guilty, he is released with an unsupervised bond and an apprehended violence order. The offender is still largely invisible. Frankly, why are we surprised by the extent of multiple victims and reoffending when there is no accountability and criminals know it?" she wrote in a recent article.

As a family lawyer who helps women victims of domestic violence in all its forms, I have seen at first hand the devastating impact it has on their lives and their children's lives.

Too often the community focus has been centred around domestic violence charity groups that are not necessarily helping victims. The recent collapse of national domestic violence charity White Ribbon Australia which went into liquidation, with the charity to be wound up, was marked by claims that none of the funds it raised actually went to victims.

I strongly endorse the view that we don't need more awareness campaigns and endless talking, we need more action, not just to build more shelters and support victims, but to do something to stop the violence, before people become victims.

Better support measures for families facing financial burdens, better alcohol and drug support and above all actual action programs that address the key social and emotional drivers/triggers for violence are needed.

Emergency workers regard the period from now to New Year as a "perfect storm" for domestic violence.