Domestic violence breaches: SA bucks national trends

DV breaches in South Australia have gone against national trends, as family violence increases across the state. See breakdown.

Exclusive: More than 2000 charges for intervention order breaches – mostly related to domestic violence protections – were recorded across South Australia last financial year.

This figure was down on pre-pandemic levels in 2018-19 (2083 charges compared to 2404), bucking the national trend of increasing breaches reported.

However, Courts Administration Authority of South Australia noted some breaches committed during the Covid-19 period may still be unresolved and working through the court system.

Griffith University social work and criminology professor Dr Silke Meyer said at a national level victims had shown increasing confidence to come forward and make reports of domestic violence and intervention order breaches.

“The reform work over the last five years more broadly has increased awareness of reporting options and increased awareness that this can happen to anyone,” Dr Meyer said.

Dr Silke Meyer said the stigma around domestic violence was disappearing. Picture: Supplied.

“It has taken out the stigma that it only happens to people of lower income tiers or lower socio economic background, or diverse linguistic backgrounds.

“We have had quite a few middle class victim-survivors coming out over the years speaking out and it’s given people confidence to report.”

Dr Meyer said people were also more aware of non-physical domestic and family violence, such as coercive control; and protective order conditions had become more comprehensive with specific behaviours listed, making it easier to understand what constitutes a breach. However, she said there may have also been an increase in abuse and protective order breaches via mobile phones and social media during the pandemic.

Domestic violence-related crimes jumped 10 per cent between 2019 and 2021.

“(Research shows) the police responses seem to be much better when there is physical evidence of abuse or harm, whereas with non-physical abuse, such as coercive control and technology-facilitated abuse, you need a really skilled and trained police officer who will respond and investigate accordingly,” she said.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed domestic violence-related crimes (including homicide, sexual assault and kidnapping) had been increasing in SA in recent years with a 10 per cent jump since the pandemic, between 2019 and 2021.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 000 in an emergency.

For more support, please call:

24-hour helpline 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732

Men facing domestic violence can contact mensline.org.au on 1300 78 99 78

Kids Helpline is for young people aged 5 to 25 on 1800 551 800

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Originally published as Domestic violence breaches: SA bucks national trends