Victoria records increase in family violence over five-year period
Family violence is on the rise in Victoria, with reports skyrocketing in the past five years. This is how often a domestic incident is reported — and the figure is horrifying.
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There is an instance of family violence every seven minutes in Victoria, new figures show.
Victoria Police recorded 76,124 family violence incidents in 2017-18, up 17 per cent compared to five years ago.
The figures were revealed in Crime Statistics Agency’s annual family violence snapshot, which includes data from police, courts, public hospitals and support services.
It shows police sought 11,889 family violence intervention orders (FVIOs) to protect victims over the year.
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A similar number of safety notices were also issued, which provide temporary protection before a FVIO is issued through the courts.
The data also shows the majority of family violence deaths and assaults of women happened in the home.
Over the past five years, 55 females have been killed by family members in their or the offenders’ home.
Ambulance Victoria data shows over 2100 female victims were treated due to family violence since June 2016, and the majority were located within a private residence.
Magistrates’ Court data shows males primarily aged 25-44 were the subjects of 75 per cent of all FVIO applications between 2013 and 2018.
The orders were largely to protect children of both sexes and women aged 18-40.
The figures show children were present in about one in three family incidents.
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Police laid charges over about 44 per cent of all family violence incidents during the year.
Drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, relationship breakdown and financial troubles are large risk factors.
Over 1300 patients attended Victorian public hospitals for family violence reasons this year, and more than 200 were children. Fractures, sprains, bruising and open wounds were the main injuries treated.
The top five regions for incidents per 100,000 people were Mildura, Swan Hill, East Gippsland, Central Goldfields and Horsham.