How DV thugs are tracking their victims by using new technology

WHILE the State Government struggles to provide GPS tracker bracelets to perpetrators, victims are being tracked by their violent ex-partners in sneaky ways.

MORE than 500 Gold Coast families have sought safety checks on their homes and vehicles as domestic violence thugs use tracking devices to stalk them.

As the Government struggles to provide GPS tracking bracelets to police perpetrators, the Gold Coast Bulletin can reveal how violent partners are using technology to harass victims.

At least 200 women have been referred to a private company by Queensland Police and another 350 from a government-run home safety program for urgent security checks.

A DV crime scene on the Gold Coast. Photo: Regi Varghese

“That victims of domestic violence whose perpetrators are known to the police as high risk, have to seek out private companies to ensure their safety is appalling,” Opposition frontbencher Ros Bates said.

NEVER MISS A MINUTE WITH THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN APP

“The LNP introduced some of the toughest domestic violence in laws in the country, from Opposition, because the lazy Labor Government didn’t protect Queensland women. GPS trackers, which have alerts for both the perpetrator and the victim was part of the LNP policy.

DV rally and memorial service attended by Ros Bates MP. Picture: Jerad Williams

“However, Labor didn’t seem to think that the victims needed security, and decided on a different option.”

Protective Group senior partner Grant Killen has found listening devices placed by DV offenders in the dashboards of the cars of former partners and ceilings of their family home.

The former Queensland police officer, who was the personal protection officer for ex-Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, said the tracking devices were often secured before relationships “exploded”.

DV survivor Michelle Beattie on the Gold Coast. Picture Mike Batterham

“If you have access to their mobile phone you can install a program on their phone and you can’t see it on the phone,” Mr Killen said.

“I found a couple (of listening devices) in the dashboards of cars. There was a voice recorder hidden in a house, hidden cameras in the roofs.

“It’s called gas lighting. What they do is try and stalk and harass. They will say to you (the victim) that ‘I saw you in the red jumper I bought you for Christmas’. And the person will say ‘how do you know that?’”

Mr Killen said victims were buying personal duress alarms as an extra step to protect themselves from violent ex-partners.

GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS FOR $3 A WEEK

When the alarm was activated, a message was sent to a 24-hour monitoring centre where staff could provide information to police.

The safety wrist bands, which look like a watch, provide a two-step activation which gives an updated GPS location and immediately starts an audio recording.

“So the monitoring centre is listening live to what’s going on and they’re feeding that information to police,” Mr Killen said.

Hearts of Purple CEO Michelle Beattie said she had worn one of the watches for almost a year and it gave her a stronger sense of protection.

Ms Beattie went public last year about safety concerns and what she saw as the reluctance of the courts to put GPS trackers on perpetrators.

“What these watches do is give you the confidence to walk out of the door and do things, to be able to do the normal,” Ms Beattie said.

“There are times I’ve forgotten mine, gone to the supermarket and come back home to get it to do the shopping. They give you a piece of mind as a parent. There’s ones for kids as well.”