Violent offenders who expose kids to trauma named
One man threatened to set his wife and kids on fire, another beat his partner in front of their children. These Geelong’s family violence offenders exposed kids to shocking violence.
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Exposing children to violence and criminal behaviour can be a “gateway” to offending and lifelong trauma, a leading expert says.
Deakin University’s Dr Mary Iliadis said trauma was a of key driver of intergenerational crime and lifelong disadvantage, with young people exposed to violence and substance abuse more likely to experience similar issues themselves.
It comes as latest Crime Statistics Agency data, encompassing the period of 12 months to June, shows family violence assaults grew across Greater Geelong by 7.4 per cent.
Breaches of family violence orders also increased by 3.6 per cent in Greater Geelong to hit a 10 year high. A total of 2585 were offences recorded in 2022 compared to 2493 in 2021.
“Experiences of trauma can be a gateway to engaging in particular forms of offending or might even lead to substance use as a coping mechanism,” Dr Iliadis said.
Dr Iliadis, a senior lecturer in criminology, said childhood trauma could also lead to socio-economic disadvantage with the impact of this exacerbated among particular community groups.
“Exposure to offending, or experiences of victimisation, as a child or young person can indeed lead to intergenerational issues, whether that includes criminal offending or not,” Dr Iliadis said.
Dr Iliadis said lack of access to treatment, or long waiting times, often exacerbated trauma and could result in further harm among victims and survivors.
“The longer people are on wait lists to receive support from the domestic violence support sector, or other mental health professionals, or the more time that goes between trauma and treatment can exacerbate the impacts of harm and prolong recovery,” Dr Iliadis said.
Dr Iliadis said there was “no silver bullet” to stopping intergenerational trauma and behaviours associated with that exposure.
But, she stressed early intervention was key.
“We need to be thinking not only about the particular type of support but also educational initiatives around how to engage in these supports,” she said.
Geelong Magistrate Ann McGarvie regularly sentences family violence offenders in court.
When recently sentencing Jake Quinton, who threatened to kill the mother of his child, Ms McGarvie said the behaviour would traumatise his daughter.
“It’s interesting that when you were with your father, you said he was pretty violent and a drug user,” Ms McGarvie said.
“You are doing exactly the same thing to (the victim) and your daughter,” she said.
“Your daughter knows you are being violent in relation to her mother and she is now going to grow up and be traumatised by that.”
Ms McGarvie again reiterated the impact of exposing children to family violence when a man, who cannot be named, front court on serious family violence charges on August 26.
“From what I’ve heard, this is an extremely serious example of family violence against a partner and in front of children, which is horrific and trauma-causing,” she said.
Geelong Superintendent Peter Ward said the rise in incidents suggested more victims were reporting family violence incidents.
“While we have seen an increase in family violence-related common assaults, we know that many victims are feeling more confident in reporting these crimes, which is largely reflected in the steady increase in this type of offending over the last 10 years.
JAKE QUINTON
A Corio man who threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend told the court he was tortured and almost burnt alive by three men.
Jake Quinton, 26, faced the Geelong Magistrates Court from a remand centre and pleaded guilty to criminal damage, making threats to kill, handling stolen goods and theft from a petrol station.
Magistrate Anne McGarvie took Quinton’s troubled past into account but told him he’s doing “exactly the same” to his family.
“While I accept that you were very badly affected by the violent offending against you by people you knew and thought you could trust, that’s exactly what you are doing (to someone) who knows you and believes she can trust you,” Ms McGarvie said.
JOHN YOUNG
An “aggressive” Geelong man begged his sons to fight him while he was high on drugs.
John Young, 41, of no fixed address but with links to Norlane and Lara, faced the Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to unlawful assault, criminal damage and theft. But he soon made his way back to the family home and pushed her in front of their adult sons.
The sons restrained Young in the driveway before locking themselves in the house while they waited for police to arrive.
Young banged on the front door and told his sons, then aged 18 and 23, to come out of the house and fight him.
Young was drunk and under the influence of drugs in October 2021 when his ex-partner forced him out of the family home and drove him to Norlane.
JASVIR DILLON
A man with a long history of family violence threatened to set his wife and four children on fire, a court has heard.
Jasvir Dhillon, 50, who has since moved to Melbourne but was linked to Corio at the time of the offences, faced the Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to driving and threat to kill charges.
In April 2019, Dhillon was driving his wife’s truck when he asked the woman where police were and told her she was not afraid of them.
Dhillon told his now former wife he was going to set the truck on fire and then threatened to set her and their four kids alight.
DANIEL MCDONALD
A Geelong man who beat a woman in front of her screaming children was sentenced to prison.
Daniel McDonald, 28, appeared via video link at the Geelong Magistrates Court in July and pleaded guilty to assault and using a carriage service to harass.
On March 15, 2022, McDonald and the victim were having a discussion about their relationship at the woman’s address when McDonald reached for her phone.
McDonald climbed on top of her, sat on her chest and used his knees to pin her down while he went through her phone. With the victim still on the ground, McDonald grabbed a knife said he was “going to hurt you, you deserve it” and held the knife to her throat.
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