Prominent Townsville figures gather to help end domestic violence
In Townsville where property crime is talked about as the scourge tearing the city apart, police are attending the same number, if not more, domestic violence related incidents every day.
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In Townsville where property crime is talked about as the scourge tearing the city apart, police are attending the same number, if not more, domestic violence related incidents every day.
The shocking reality is that today alone police will respond to 19 DV incidents across the city, almost one every hour and across the entire state police will respond to seven offences every hour.
The numbers are sobering – with about 4 per cent of the state’s population living in Townsville, the city is makes up a horrific number of incidents for its size.
The latest figures show there were more than 1200 breaches of DV orders and in a four-month period some 1400 victims reached out to the city’s largest domestic violence support centre.
COVID-19 created a perfect storm for our city’s women and children already living under a dark cloud of domestic and family violence, with unemployment and financial pressures, alcohol and drug abuse resulting in a breaking point for many.
And on White Ribbon Day, a number of the city’s leaders are standing united in the face of the shocking gendered violence statistics.
Today the community is being asked to take a stand, to speak up, to show support for those living in a violent situation by tying a white ribbon around your letterbox.
More than 1400 victims reached out to the North Queensland Domestic Violence Resource Service (NQDVRS) between June and September 30.
NQDVRS CEO Mandy Thomas said services like hers were constantly overwhelmed with demand for help.
“Patterns of behaviour that we see are isolation, controlling access to finance, controlling access to friends and family or other people who might be normal supports,” Ms Thomas said.
“It could be physical violence, emotional violence, sexual violence, the list goes on.
“One of the strongest messages that I would give people out in the communities is that this is everybody’s problem, this is not a private matter,” she said.
“We come into contact with someone when the crisis is happening and the victim may turn up at the front door fleeing violence.
“We want bystanders to step up, neighbours to know what’s happening and society in general to start a conversation and not let victims become isolated.”
Newly appointed North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten said stopping violence against women was everyone’s business.
“As a leader of young men I believe that I have a role to play in the representation of respectful relationships in our community,” he said.
“Violence against women, in fact family violence of any kind, should not be tolerated anywhere, at any time. But it isn’t just a Townsville problem, it’s a society problem, so tackling it is complicated but we can’t all wait for someone else to fix it.
“I encourage everyone … to join me in tying a white ribbon to your letterbox on Friday for White Ribbon Day. The more of us that say domestic violence is not OK, the safer it will be for all our families.”
As the commander of the 3rd Brigade, Brigadier Khalil Fegan is responsible for thousands of soldiers, with men the overwhelming majority.
He said part of his job was ensuring members lived up to Defence values and any form of violence against women was in “complete contradiction” to what the Australian Defence Force stood for.
“When we talk about excellence and integrity and courage – all of those things are compromised if a person uses their physical mass to commit violence on another person,” Brigadier Fegan said.
“It’s intolerable.”
Domestic violence is an issue Mayor Jenny Hill has made a high priority for Townsville City Council.
She said as one of the largest employers in the city, it would be naive to suggest domestic violence didn’t exist within her organisation.
To coincide with White Ribbon Day, an administrative order will be released today including staff help lines and avenues to access support. “We’ve now got a procedure to assist victims so staff understand their responsibility in terms of to promote a workplace free from domestic violence.
“All of local government has been proactive because all of us recognise there are issues and when you look at DV numbers they’re in every organisation and quite often the violence that results can be horrifying.”
Townsville-based Indigenous homelessness and crisis support agency Yumba-Meta operates as the only culturally appropriate organisation working hand-in-hand with the police to respond to domestic violence in the region.
Brenda Lucas said part of its role was helping victims to identify the violence they were suffering was not acceptable.
“Recently we had a mother and she’d suffered very serious offences like rape, torture, beatings and we had to explain to this victim that what had happened to her is not normal,” she said.
Originally published as Prominent Townsville figures gather to help end domestic violence
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