New police figures have revealed the impact the pandemic had on domestic violence

Domestic violence has reached emergency levels in SA, a prevention group says, as police figures reveal the number of assaults reported during the pandemic.

Sobering new figures have revealed the surge in domestic violence assaults in the state during the pandemic, as cases reach emergency levels, a prevention group says.

The latest police statistics for the rolling year from January to December 2020 show a 10 per cent rise in domestic assaults reported to police in the year compared to 2019.

There were 9526 DV assaults reported to police in 2020, compared to 8587 in the previous year – a rise of 939.

In the six months South Australians were encouraged to stay inside to stop the spread of the coronavirus – from March to August – there were an additional 440 reports of DV assaults compared to that of the year prior.

Brad Chilcott, SA based executive director for White Ribbon Australia, and founder for the Family and Domestic Violence Advocacy Network, said there was no excuse for the rise in assaults.

“I think the pandemic and the lockdown, the financial down turn and the loss of jobs – all of that added extra stress to families and for individuals (last year),” Mr Chilcott said.

“But we can’t blame stress or the pandemic for an increase in men’s violence against women. In the end, this is men choosing to use violence.”

He said the figures show a domestic violence is at an emergency level in the state, and the State Government should treat it as such and put more support into emergency housing for women, as well as additional resources in women’s safety services.

White Ribbon aims to promote gendered equality by engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls.

“The unfortunate reality of men spending more time at home with family, and violence was the result, (is) we need every man, myself included, to reflect on our own attitudes, our own behaviours, to think about what happens in our house when tensions rise, do we make people afraid?”

Katherine Hildyard, domestic violence spokeswoman for Labor, said the spike in domestic violence cases was “unacceptable and deeply shocking”.

“Increased funding is urgently needed to prevent violence before it starts, and this included addressing gender inequality which is the root cause of disrespect and violence against women,” Ms Hildyard said.

Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said $4.8m worth of funding was provided to supply additional measures to support at risk women, children and perpetrators during the pandemic, including for the state’s first 24/7 men’s referral service hotline.

An additional $21m was committed to new prevention measures, including a 24/7 DV crisis hotline and a perpetrator crisis bed pilot.

“Tackling the scourge of domestic, family and sexual violence, and supporting at-risk South Australian women and children – remains a Marshall Liberal Government priority,” Ms Lensink said.