Electronic tracking will be trialled in NSW to protect domestic violence victims

Women fearing for their lives won’t have to rely on a ‘piece of paper’ to save them from violent abusers under a $3.5m trial to electronically track perpetrators. Will GPS tracking help protect victims? Join our poll

Women fearing for their lives will not have to rely on a “piece of paper” to save them from violent abusers under a $3.5 million trial to electronically track perpetrators slapped with intervention orders in NSW.

In response to “well documented” examples of abusers ignoring or deliberately seeking to breach Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders, NSW will be the first jurisdiction in Australia to access the federal government funding for states and territories to scope and trial new electronic monitoring systems to strengthen protections for women and children.

There are a range of options NSW could consider, including placing GPS ankle bracelets on people with an AVO, or a model trialled in Tasmania where victims voluntarily allowed police to track them so officers could intervene if the two parties appeared likely to cross paths.

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston said while electronic monitoring was not the “panacea to keep women safe,” it was another important tool to address the full life cycle of violence across prevention, early intervention, response and recovery.

“It is well documented that domestic violence perpetrators often do not take intervention orders seriously and even purposefully test the system to see how much they can get away with,” she said.

Ankle tracking devices could be used to enforce domestic AVOs. Picture: Matt Thomson

“A piece of paper will never keep a woman safe or make her feel safe, unless she knows it will be enforced.”

Ms Ruston said the federal government was committed to work with states and territories to strengthen the enforcement of court orders and conditions to better protect women, who particularly are subjected to shocking rates of domestic and family violence.

“Every single one of these women are someone’s daughter, someone’s mum, someone’s best friend,” she said.

“Every single one of these women are someone with dreams about the future that have been ripped away from her at the hands of someone who was supposed to love, care and protect her.”

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston says electronic tracking is an additional tool alongside existing measures to reduce domestic violence in Australia. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

NSW Women’s Safety and Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Minister Natalie Ward said the entire community had a role to play in ending family, domestic and sexual violence.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that we continue to wake up to read horrific headlines about a women being killed at the hands of her partner,” she said.

“We want to ensure our laws, operational activities and support structures are best placed to keep women and children in NSW safe.

“Through this partnership with the Commonwealth we have the opportunity to investigate how innovative monitoring technologies might further enhance our protection systems.”

The 2022-23 Budget included $20m for states and territories to trial technologies that suit the specific needs of each justice system.

It is part of a $2.5 billion commitment to the First Action Plan 2022-2027, under the next National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, which is currently being finalised.