Evil In Your Home domestic violence campaign: DV crisis declared in NSW

There have been 139 murders linked to domestic violence in five years and these women are just a few of the most recent lost. The NSW Police boss has declared a DV crisis in NSW but it’s time for everyone to act. Join the Evil In Our Homes campaign.

The state is in the midst of a “domestic violence epidemic” with the NSW Police Commissioner vowing to do everything she can to fix the broken system and protect vulnerable victims.

Fifteen women, men and children have lost their lives in NSW this year, the youngest just 11 months old and the oldest 91.

With 60 per cent of NSW police time spent responding to domestic violence-related incidents, Commissioner Karen Webb said the time had come to put the complex problem in the spotlight.

“Domestic violence, it feels like an epidemic,” Commissioner Webb exclusively told The Saturday Telegraph on the launch of the weekend campaign Evil In Our Homes.

“I don’t want my officers delivering death messages. I don’t want my officers time and time again responding to the same situations. I don’t want support systems working against each other,” the state’s stop cop said.

Mother-of-three Amira Moghniya, 30, was murdered at Bexley.

Tatiana Dokhotaru was found dead in her Liverpool apartment block.

“I’ve looked at it, and it’s a mess. I’ve called on the experts internally and externally to look at why the system is not working and I want to find solutions to the complexities of dealing with domestic violence, protecting victims and prosecuting the worst offenders.”

The state’s police are answering 140,000 calls a year to domestic violence issues – that’s about 400 a day.

In the past 12 months there have been 33,484 domestic violence cases and in the past five years 139 murders have been linked to violence in the home.

That equates to almost 50 per cent of all murders in NSW being perpetrated by domestic violence offenders.

Commissioner Webb said police spent too much time responding to domestic disputes that should never reach courts.

There should be better ways of identifying victims at real risk of physical and emotional danger.

“The focus needs to be on the people who really need help and the processes and legislation need to reflect that,” she said.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb wants to stamp out domestic violence. Picture: Adam Yip

She conceded the legal system was clogged with cases where people were sometimes using the court system to hurt each other, which takes away from the people actually needing protection.

The commissioner has embarked on a major overhaul of how domestic violence is policed and prosecuted, with a deliberate focus on high-risk violent offenders.

“We are really concentrating on those who we know have the capability and access to victims to commit the worst crimes, ultimately murder,” she said. “Domestic violence cases, when it comes to prioritising in terms of proactive policing it’s the people with the propensity for serious behaviours that we want to identify and stop.”

Cranebrook murder victim Danielle Finlay-Jones.

Kristy Armstrong died in a car crash as she allegedly fled a domestic violence incident.

Operation Amarok, a high-impact operation across the state designed to stop violent offenders in their tracks, nabbed more than 300 of the state’s most dangerous DV offenders earlier this year.

More than 160 of those had outstanding warrants for violent offences.

Commissioner Webb said policing had come a long way in understanding the complexities of domestic violence but there was still a long way to go.

Legislation changes, better police training and structural changes to the force to better support victims – who are not just partners but also children, parents, siblings – were already afoot.

As the Saturday and Sunday Telegraphs shine a ­spotlight on the issues and consult ­experts on solutions, the Commissioner has a plea to the broader community. “We are saying no to silence, we want people to stand up and speak up. There are no innocent bystanders when it comes to domestic violence, that doesn’t wash anymore. There is no excuse for physical and emotional abuse,” she said.

Lisa Fenwick was allegedly stabbed to death by her partner Anthony Eriksen at Mascot.

Noah Smith was shot dead by his father.

“We are encouraging relatives, friends and neighbours to report cases of suspected domestic and family violence.

“We see far too many tragedies where the worst has happened and we find out that family and friends knew for months, even years that a victim had been struggling and in danger and yet felt it wasn’t their place to speak up. NSW Police are calling on you to take a stand and report incidents you witness. It’s everyone’s responsibility. The days of what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors are over, that’s not acceptable. We have to come together.”

Domestic and family violence comes in all forms, from emotional abuse to financial abuse to physical abuse and even to homicide.

“No one is immune. It doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter what socio-economic background, there is domestic violence. We need to make change now.”