Take a Stand campaign

IT is sad that one in five mothers don’t trust their partners not to harm their children. As the Herald Sun reveals, 14 per cent of fathers also have ongoing concerns about their children’s safety.

IT is sad that one in five mothers don’t trust their partners not to harm their children.

As the Herald Sun reveals today, 14 per cent of fathers also have ongoing concerns about their children’s safety.

Shockingly, 40 per cent of parents who reported violence and safety concerns to authorities said nothing happened as a result.

These are just three of the disturbing and depressing findings of a study of 6000 Australian adults.

Funded by the federal Attorney-General’s Department, the study of separated parents found less than one-third of them believed the family law system effectively dealt with their family violence issues.

The study is yet another reminder of the blight on society that family violence is.

As the Herald Sun has been pointing out in its Take a Stand campaign against family violence, vulnerable children and battered wives are not getting the support they need.

Figures provided to the Herald Sun by Victoria Police reveal women were the victims of 29,064 attacks by male partners or ex-partners during 2012-13.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay — a strong supporter of the Take a Stand campaign — this month revealed 20,000 children a year are caught up in the state’s worsening family violence problem.

He pointed out that many perpetrators carried out their crimes against children in the family home, where they should feel at their safest.

The system that should protect women and children from family violence is broken.

Victorian political parties will be judged at the coming state election on what plans they have to fix it.