Wide Bay Burnett communities under siege from abusive partners

Domestic violence is a worsening issue in towns and communities across the Wide Bay and Burnett, new data has revealed, with domestic violence orders failing to deter repeat offenders.

Following emotional scenes in Federal Parliament last week, where a senior MP broke down during a speech on domestic violence, statistics comparing the number of DVO breaches in 2019 to 2022, have revealed a distressing escalation of the problem across most of the Wide Bay Burnett.

The worst escalation has been in the North Burnett, where DVO breaches have risen 200 per cent, from 20 breaches in the 12 months to October 2019, to 60 breaches in the 12 months to October 2022.

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Indeed, all communities in the region bar one have experienced a significant rise.

Gympie has experienced the second highest rise, with DVO breaches increasing by 63 per cent since 2019, with 256 reported that year compared to 416 in 2022.

Bundaberg has had an increase of 52 per cent, from 649 to 986 breaches, followed by the Fraser Coast with a 32 per cent escalation in the crisis, counting 999 in 2019 and 1315 breaches in 2022.

It was only in the South Burnett where the number of breaches of domestic violence orders actually declined - by 11 per cent - from 397 cases in 2019 to 354 this year.

A total of 3131 domestic violence breaches were recorded in the entire region between October 2021 and October 2022.

In Australia, policing, legal and support, productivity loss and medical care from domestic violence costs the economy about $22 billion a year.

For the victims, life is hell, where they must endure dangerous and even life-threatening situations on a daily basis.

One local woman who asked to remain anonymous described the years she was trapped in abusive relationships as the “worst time” she had ever been through.

She suffered through two violent relationships, and survived an attempt by one partner to kill her.

“God only knows how I do it. Honestly, it is getting harder, but a life of war builds a warrior,” she said.

Domestic violence offence breaches have increased in the Wide Bay Burnett region. Images: iStock.

Qld Opposition spokesman for police and corrective services Dale Last said in a press release earlier this month that police numbers on the frontline had decreased since 2020, but Police Minister Mark Ryan reject that.

From October 2021 to October 2022 police numbers increased by 122, Mr Ryan said.

And he said the state government intended to deliver at least 150 additional officers in the North Coast region, which includes the Wide Bay Burnett, by 2025.

“The Queensland Government this week announced it had committed $100 million to a raft of reforms and initiatives to provide enhanced support and protections to those caught up in domestic violence,” Mr Ryan said.

Australia lost 80 women and children to domestic violence between January and October 2022, Australian Femicide Watch researcher and The Red Heart Campaign founder Sherele Moody said.

Ms Moody said more women and children were killed in Queensland than any other state or territory in Australia and domestic and family violence was particularly strong in regional areas.

Across Qld there had been a 70 per cent spike in domestic violence order violations in the past three years.

“Thousands a year are hospitalised from assaults and significantly higher numbers experience the trauma of of coercive control,” she said.

Children who witness abuse suffer from lifelong trauma and impact their relationships, mental health and other harmful behaviour.

“In essence, witnessing or experiencing abuse ruins lives,” Ms Moody said.

For those trapped in violent relationships, Ms Moody recommends seeking police help, legal advice and support services as well as talking to friends and family about the situations.

Inspector Brad Inskip from the Gympie Police spoke about the significance of setting an example for young generations.

“The preconceptions about what it means to be boys and men are passed down through our role models and can often be outdated,” Inspector Inskip said.

“Some of the ideas we share with our children about ‘how to be a bloke’ may appear harmless, but they can include signals that have a long term negative influence.”