Special police units created to tackle family violence
SPECIALIST investigative units based on those that have tackled sex crimes, including child abuse, are being formed to probe family violence.
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SPECIALIST investigative units based on those that have tackled sex crimes, including child abuse, are being formed to probe family violence.
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Police will set up Family Violence Investigation Units statewide from next year.
They will comprise 415 specially trained detectives, analysts, intelligence experts, psychologists, and police lawyers to represent victims.
They will pursue cases of high-risk, repeat, and escalating violence.
They will also examine cold cases: abused children take an average 22 years to report crimes.
The plan, the centrepiece of Victoria Police’s new family violence strategy, is to be announced today.
It includes a new scheme to better share information between police and support agencies, to improve the assessment and management of the risk of violence.
There will also be a focus on identifying primary aggressors and improving evidence collection.
Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said family violence should be investigated with the same professionalism as crimes such as terrorism.
“The ramifications are the same in the long run. We have death, we have serious trauma, we have serious injury, and we have people who are affected for life because of what they have experienced,” he said.
Last financial year 16 murders — a quarter of the total — were related to family violence.
Police are also dealing with an emerging problem of youths, mostly boys, who abuse their mothers.
Statewide, 76,500 family violence incidents — the equivalent of one every seven minutes — were recorded. Reports have risen by more than 25 per cent over five years.
“We will hopefully be able to prevent some of these murders … and make it safer for victims,” Mr Patton said.
Between July 2011 and June, 11,558 family violence perpetrators were recorded as harming three or more victims. A total of 1404 hurt five or more.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said: “Family violence, sex offences and child abuse are horrific crimes that are under-reported and have lifelong impacts. This strategy puts victims first and foremost.”