Domestic violence: Triple number of men now listed on abuse database

THERE are now 166 violent and dangerous men on a statewide database that tracks domestic abusers, more than triple the number recorded two months ago.

THERE are now 166 violent and dangerous men on a statewide database that tracks domestic abusers, more than triple the number recorded two months ago.

They include 10 men reportedly involved in multiple violent incidents and three reported to have hurt multiple women.

They are flagged on a register kept by the Domestic Violence Gateway Service.

When The Advertiserfirst reported in March that the database was operating — two years after it was promised by the State Government — 51 were men listed.

Service executive officer Gilian Cordell said there had been some delays in entering reports into the system but it was now “almost up to date”.

Ms Cordell said she was “not surprised, but horrified” by the number of violent abusers being reported to the service.

“Sadly pressure on services is such that we are finding (that), more and more, we are having to prioritise higher risk clients,” she said.

Latest figures show 1814 women called the gateway service for help in the past nine months, equalling the number needing help for all of the previous year.

About 18 per cent identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 13 per cent were born overseas.

The service referred 683 women and 698 children to shelter accommodation, highlighting the huge numbers of young people caught in violent homes.

The violent offender database brings together information on perpetrators from 18 domestic violence services across the state to share with police.

It can record information about males or females of concern.

They may not have been charged or convicted of violent offences but most are the subject of intervention orders.

Service staff operate the database and alert police and other agencies when a serial offender is identified.

They can check the name of an offender or add a name if they are concerned about the risk they pose, but cannot tell a victim if their abuser is already in the system because of privacy laws.

This is because the database takes into account alleged offences, as well as convictions.

However, Ms Cordell said counsellors would not let victims remain in dangerous situations.

“We know that men escalate their use of violence,” she said.

“As time passes we will be able to utilise the information to determine the risk to women.”

Status of Women Minister Gail Gago said the rise in the number of men identified on the database “unfortunately reaffirms just how pervasive the issue of violence against women is”.

For help phone the Domestic Violence Gateway Service on 1800 800 098.