Domestic violence services prepare for flood of calls for help after school holidays
AS police investigate two alleged domestic violence-related murders over the past week, advocacy groups can reveal the most dangerous times for domestic violence victims. A number of services are now gearing up for one of their busiest days as cries for help flood in.
NSW
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SCHOOL holidays are the most dangerous times for domestic violence victims — and when they’re over the cries for help flood in, advocacy groups have revealed.
As police investigate two alleged domestic violence-related murders over the past week, services including the NSW Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence centre are gearing up for one of their busiest days when holidays end today.
The centre’s executive officer Karen Willis said their call centre goes “ballistic” as terrified women — it is usually women — seek help as soon as the children have gone and they have time to themselves.
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“The first day back at school, from 9.15am the calls will begin and it goes ballistic,” Ms Willis said.
She said it was the same the Tuesday after a long weekend and the Christmas break and the centre staff do additional shifts to deal with the calls.
“(Callers) say the last two weeks or six weeks have been horrendous, they just can’t take it any more …,” Ms Willis said. She said holidays could be times of high tension.
“Families are thrown together. Often those who cause violence have expectations that their families should make them happy but because they are miserable people themselves, no-one else can make them happy.
“They carry their own misery and that then becomes an opportunity to lash out at those who are closest.”
Two young children lost their mother after 43-year-old Erana Nahu was allegedly stabbed her to death by her partner in Glenfield on October 11.
The day before, a woman, 50, was charged with murder after allegedly stabbing her 47-year-old partner to death in Blacktown.
Ms Willis said that if someone had suffered physical violence, they would call the police. “But those who call us, usually they have gone through a gradual process and the holidays have been the last straw,” she said.
NSW Police corporate spokesman on domestic violence, Assistant Commissioner Mark Jones, said there was a link between holiday drinking and domestic violence.
He said there was evidence that there was an increase in domestic violence assaults during the school summer and Christmas holidays but not in the rest of the vacation breaks.
“I wonder if more people are calling the domestic violence hotlines because they have had enough and they need help and support as opposed to having suffered physical violence,” said Assistant Commissioner Jones.