By NOEL MURPHY
GEELONG’S “filthy little secret” – family violence – jumped an alarming 44 per cent across Geelong in the past year, according to new police figures.
Domestic assaults climbed to a total 953 in the 12 months to the end of September in contrast to the 664 recorded at the same time the previous year.
Overall assaults climbed almost 16 per cent, from 1599 to 1851, but family violence incidents posed real difficulties for Geelong police.
Victorian Police chief Ken Lay this week described family violence as one of Australia’s “filthy little secrets”.
But Victoria Police’s statement on the crime statistics, released a day after White Ribbon Day, highlighting violence against women, failed to acknowledge the problem, focusing instead on other assaults.
“Assaults excluding family violence are proving challenging for our members,” Inspector Adrian Bickley said.
“To address this issue, local police are working with licensed venue operators, their staff, the City of Greater Geelong and local taxi providers to reduce violence in the central activities area and surrounds.”
Insp Bickley said crimes against the person remained “a significant concern”.
He cited “major operations focussing on public order” in central Geelong.
Family violence rated one sentence in the statement.
“Local police, with the assistance of the Family Violence Unit (FVU) continue to target family violence assaults and recidivist offenders,” Insp Bickley said.
Zena Women’s Service manager Claire Yeatman said her agency received up to 155 referrals for family violence each month in Geelong.
“Family violence affects children, parents, grandparents, there’s trauma, post-trauma stress disorder and whatever else, victims of crime, the implications can be huge,” she said.
“About 70 of those referrals are being seen by us for further support.”
Ms Yeatman said Zena worked “really closely” with the FVU, whose members she described as “fantastic”.
Geelong’s family violence figures might be higher because women had become more confident about reporting violent incidents, she said.
