Evil In Your Home domestic violence campaign: NSW Police boss Karen Webb on ‘epidemic’

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb says domestic violence isn’t a policing problem, it’s everyone’s problem. And she’s right. Our Evil In Your Home campaign aims to shed light on society’s biggest scourge.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb pulls no punches when it comes to domestic violence.

It was one of the areas she singled out as a focus when she first took over the top job, and when you consider the statistics it is not surprising she and her senior leadership team have prioritised the issues.

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

In the past 12 months there have been 33,484 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 this state perpetrated by domestic violence offenders – and when you consider most have them have been committed at the end of years of abuse it underscores the enormity of the problem facing police, the courts and support services.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has made no secret her desire to tackle the domestic violence epidemic. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Ms Webb openly describes the situation as critical.

“It feels like an epidemic,” she says.

“The days of what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors are over. That’s not acceptable, we can’t accept that. We have to basically come together on this one.”

There is no particular cause attributed to the horrific rise in the number of cases, but what’s equally worrying to police is the prevalence right across the socio-economic scale. The sheer size and complexity of the issue makes it difficult to police and put in place preventive measures that keep people – mostly women – safe in their own homes.

The number of domestic violent attacks among high-profile victims and perpetrators ensures the issue receives public attention.

But the number of sportspeople, celebrities and other high-profile individuals is only scratching the surface of the problem.

Most victims are suffering in silence, feel a high level of desperation and are unable see their way out.

Many suffer for decades, living in hope that one day it will stop.

A large number of people sacrifice their own safety and stay in abusive relationships for their children. Financial security remains a concern, with many perpetrators using money as a weapon to both control and punish their victims.

The one problem that remains a constant right across the spectrum of domestic violence cases is a lack of support and access to services.

For so long domestic violence cases were minimised because of the nature of the offences, and while the law and public opinion has caught up on that, there still remains a shortage of help, especially in rural and regional areas.

Emergency accommodation remains stretched, especially for families, and financial security continues to be a problem.

While some strides have been made in adjusting laws to provide increased safety nets for victims and more severe punishment for perpetrators, there remain some gaps in the suite of protections that need to be addressed for the sake of victims and the police officers trying to keep them safe.

All of these issues – and so many more – are driving our desire to address the situation, one change at a time.

The Evil In Our Home campaign aims to stamp out domestic violence.

Over the next few weeks, our campaign Evil In Your Home will examine what should happen to help keep people safe.

We will canvas the views of victims, support groups, advocates, lawyers and police officers, many of whom are already trying to find solutions.

Along the way we will present some confronting stories, life experiences and horrific statistics in order to properly reflect the gravity of the situation.

This is necessary to galvanise public opinion and nudge decision-makers to prioritise reform and investment in the prevention of domestic violence.

Ms Webb is right when she says this is not a policing problem, it’s everyone’s problem. And we should not quit until it is fixed.