Woman’s fear after Parole Board allows attacker to work just 150m away from her

A woman who survived a terrifying attack at the hands of her former partner is pleading for help, after the Parole Board allowed him to work just 150m away from her.

A woman who survived a terrifying attack at the hands of her former partner now lives in constant fear after the Parole Board gave him permission to work just a couple of streets from her workplace.

The victim, who cannot be identified, has revealed how she lives in perpetual panic at the possibility of crossing paths with the man who broke into her home and violently attacked her just days after their relationship ended.

He had pinned her down by her neck so that she struggled to breathe, bit, slapped and hit her, held her against a wall and threatened to rape her.

“The constant proximity to the perpetrator triggers significant fear and anxiety, causing immense mental anguish,” she said.

“As a victim of domestic violence, having the perpetrator work just 150m from my workplace is an incredibly distressing and unsafe situation.”

The attacker was jailed for 4.5 years, with a non-parole period of almost three years. He was granted parole last August to live 1km from the victim’s then home in the inner southern suburbs.

The day before he was released from jail, the woman moved her family to another suburb “where there are cameras everywhere” and settled her children into new schools to avoid the risk of an encounter. Her attacker was banned from entering the suburb.

But in February, the Parole Board varied the man’s parole conditions, allowing him to work just a few streets away from the woman in the CBD. Earlier this month, he was granted permission to work in a building just 150m away.

The woman has written to the Parole Board urging them to reconsider their decision and to prioritise her mental health, safety and wellbeing.

“As a victim trying to recover and rebuild my life, having the perpetrator close by impedes my progress significantly,” she said.

“It is crucial for survivors to have a safe environment to heal and regain their sense of security and self-confidence.”

She said the constant proximity of her attacker has caused her fear and anxiety, constantly reminds her of the abuse, caused psychological distress and impacted her work performance and her recovery.

“I do not feel protected from this person at all and how does this person have more rights than I do?,” she said.

“It feels as though the system is punishing me instead of prioritising my safety, especially when he is the one on parole.”

The office of the Commissioner for Victims’ Rights are advocating for her.

Parole Board deputy presiding member Bill Boucaut KC was unable to comment on the specific case but said the board carefully considered any submissions from victims of crime.

“The concerns would be taken on board and if requests are made for exclusion zones, they are generally noted, considered and abided,” he said.

“You don’t always get to meet the demands of the victim but when domestic violence is involved it’s very, very important they are carefully considered.”

He encouraged the victim to again contact the board about her concerns and said the board would do its best to respond.