Latest crime stats show domestic violence continues to rise

Domestic violence statistics in the Macarthur region have continued on an upward trend according to the latest official crime statistics.

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Domestic violence statistics in the Macarthur region have continued on an upward trend according to the latest official crime statistics.

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) latest report measuring the number of criminal incidents dealt with by police in 2018 show an increase in the number of domestic violence assaults in the Campbelltown, Camden and Wollondilly areas.

In 2018, Campbelltown Police recorded 930 domestic violence related assaults, up from 804 in the previous year.

Camden Police, covering the Wollondilly and Camden LGAs, saw the number rise from 475 in 2017 to 541 in 2018.

Macarthur Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (MWDVCAS) program co-ordinator Tanya Whitehouse said the statistics showed a disturbing increase in the number of domestic violence incidents.

“If you look at the postcode of 2567 and 2570 which includes new areas like Oran Park, there has been a 44 per cent increase since 2013,” she said.

“Obviously those are growth areas which have had a significant population increase but there’s an number of other contributing factors around those figures.”

Ms Whitehouse said from July to December last year MWDVCAS had seen a significant increase in their workload.

Tanya Whitehouse at Camden Court. Picture: Jenny Evans

“Our client numbers increased 4 per cent from the previous six months and we’re seeing about 60 people a week,” she said.

“The number of referrals from police to our service increased by 7.5 per cent to about 87 a week.”

Ms Whitehouse said the statistics did not take into account the number of people who hadn’t come forward about domestic violence.

“I think what we’re seeing is the tip of the iceberg,” she said.

“Our service has six consultants and our funding runs out in June, we’re hoping whoever is in government will provide more funding because it’s needed to cope with the growth.

“But with six, we are already very lucky a lot of other areas with similarly high rates of domestic violence have fewer.”

For more information on MWDVCAS click here.