By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG needs a dedicated court to deal with increasing family violence, according to Barwon Community Legal Service.
Family violence, including offences against children, was growing alarmingly across the region, principal solicitor Mandi Hyland told the Independent.
Police statistics show family violence offences jumped from 713 in 2012 to 876 last year.
Ms Hyland said the legal service was dealing with up to 10 family violence cases a day, three days a week, at Geelong Magistrates’ Court.
Family violence covers incidents affecting spouses, children, parents, grandparents, neighbours and carers.
Ms Hyland said the various forms of family violence included financial, emotional and psychological abuse.
Its incidence was increasing in line with growing pressure on households across Geelong as manufacturing jobs disappeared, she said.
The legal service was rallying other support agencies across Geelong to push for a family violence court that would function like existing courts in Melbourne, Sunshine and Heidelberg, Ms Hyland said.
“It would be a specialist court where they specifically train magistrates and court staff – the people who’ll be dealing with the applicants – in family violence issues,” she said.
“lt would be a much more coordinated approach and the court would be more likely to refer people to behaviour-changing programs because people who could say whether (the programs) were available would be in the court.
“If everyone is specially skilled, it’s more ideal so people can get support and don’t reoffend or remain victims of family violence in the future,” Ms Hyland said.
“Unfortunately, the courts are seeing more and more breaches of family violence and the rate of returns, recidivism, is growing. If we had more support at the first instance perhaps this could be reduced.”
Ms Hyland warned that many children raised in violent households faced long-term damage and needed counselling and support to prevent the impact of their abuse spilling over into the broader community.
Police and welfare agency sources told the Independent family violence across Geelong was a growing problem. They believed a dedicated court and support could benefit Geelong.
“We already help out but it’s unbelievable,” an agency source said.
