Calls to South Australia’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Crisis Line surge to 100 a day

A quarter of desperate calls to the state’s domestic violence hotline are ringing out, prompting fears victims are being left vulnerable.

The state’s domestic violence hotline is now fielding 100 calls every day – but one in four cries for help are still going unanswered.

The Advertiser can reveal calls to South Australia’s Domestic Violence Crisis Line have more than doubled in just three years, passing 36,800 last year.

The surge is being attributed, in part, to increased awareness as the state awaits the findings of a royal commission into domestic, family and sexual violence in less than two months.

Royal commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja has received more than 380 written submissions, including from women who have told of being burned with a lighter, dragged from their car, strangled and punched.

Natasha Stott Despoja giving her opening address at the SA domestic, family and sexual violence royal commission hearings. Picture: Dean Martin

As revealed by advertiser.com.au, others have described extremely controlling behaviours from husbands or partners who locked them in their houses, hid remote controls and banned them from using household appliances.

Last year there were about 3070 calls to the domestic violence crisis line each month, or 100 a day.

That is up from 1300 a month, or 43 a day in 2021.

Latest data, provided following requests from The Advertiser, reveals the proportion of calls being answered has increased significantly over that period, from 43 per cent to 72 per cent.

But frontline workers and advocates warn too many victims are still left at risk.

Mary Leaker, who heads peak anti-violence body Embolden, said SA was “experiencing unprecedented demand for crisis domestic and family violence services and, right now, some women and children are simply not getting the help they need”.

“In some months of this year the number of women and families placed in emergency accommodation, such as hotels and motels, has increased by more than two thirds compared with last year.”

Embolden’s Mary Leaker warns there is “unprecedented demand” for crisis domestic violence services in SA. Picture: Matt Loxton

The Domestic Violence Crisis Line is receiving 100 calls a day. Photo - Naomi Jellicoe

The state government allocated an extra $880,000 a year to boost capacity at the crisis line call centre at the end of last year.

At the time Minister for Women Katrine Hildyard conceded that “every unanswered call represents a missed opportunity to provide safety and support”.

She said the extra funding signalled a “strong commitment to helping ensure that wherever survivors live, they will receive the support they need, when they need it”.

Responding to the funding increase, Women’s Safety Services SA chief executive Maria Hagias said calls had “increased drastically”.

“All too often, by the time a woman is calling the (crisis line) her life is already in danger. It is imperative that we are able to respond to her call,” she said.

Findings of the $3m, year-long royal commission will be delivered to the state government in August.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan has committed to allocating “a really meaningful amount of money” to act on the proposals.

“We realise we’re going to have to have a very substantial response to the royal commission recommendations,” he said.

Domestic Violence Crisis line: 1800 800 098