Domestic violence horror: Australia’s deadly and tragic cases
STRANGLED. Stabbed. Slashed. These are just some of the sickening attacks several Australian women have suffered.
AUSTRALIA is known largely as a safe county.
Our strict gun laws are the envy of many nations where shooting deaths are rampant and our laid-back lifestyle is admired far and wide.
It’s a place where men and women have equal rights in the eyes of the law.
But what lurks beneath the veneer of our nation’s friendly smile, sparkling beaches and red dusty plains is something far more sinister.
New research released by the Monash University shows that a woman is killed by her ex or current partner almost every week in Australia, and the past fortnight has provided shocking recent cases.
Over the past two weeks, two women have been killed allegedly at the hands of their ex-partners, within 80km of each other in NSW.
The alleged deadly attacks saw one woman strangled to death, and another stabbed to death
In a third incident, police are investigating the death of a woman found dead in an alleyway in Chatswood and believe her death may be domestic-violence related.
A fourth woman is fighting for her life in hospital after her partner allegedly slit her throat in Sydney. Each of the attacks allegedly took place in the women’s homes.
White Ribbon senior executive of programs Jennifer Mullen said the broader statistics indicate that gender inequality was at the core of the issue.
“The home is unfortunately the most dangerous place for a woman (in or fleeing a domestic violent relationship),” Ms Mullen said.
“These deaths are hugely tragic,” Ms Mullen said.
“If we look at the stats nationally we know one woman is killed each week in Australia and we saw that increase to two a week last year ... and again in the last few weeks.”
BLAIR DALTON: Strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend at Ettalong Beach.
Central Coast mother Blair Dalton, 35, died in Gosford Hospital three days after she was allegedly s trangled and beaten by her former partner Lance Michael Pearce on September 26.
Pearce was due to be charged with murder but died in custody after choking on a chicken sandwich.
Charges against her accused killer were expected to be upgraded to murder until Pearce, 34, was found dead in a police cell on Friday in non-suspicious circumstances.
News.com.au was told by a friend of Ms Dalton that she returned home to the Central Coast to escape her violent relationship with Pearce.
“She had a great life there and was loved by so many,” the friend said.
SARAH BROWN: Stabbed to death, allegedly by ex-partner Russell Brian Wood.
Mother-of-five Sarah Brown was stabbed to death, allegedly by her estranged boyfriend, only days after he moved out of their western Sydney home.
Police will allege Wood turned up at Ms Brown’s Whalan home, in Sydney’s west, and stabbed her in the torso in the early hours of Saturday, September 30.
She died at the scene after paramedics were called to a home on Moresby Street around 2am.
Wood was charged with murder. He didn’t appear or apply for bail when his matter was mentioned in Parramatta Local Court earlier this month, and it was formally refused ahead of another scheduled appearance.
RACHAEL ANNE LEE: Throat slashed, allegedly by her partner in her Glendenning home. Fighting for her life in hospital, could become a paraplegic if she survives.
The family of a Sydney woman fear she may be left a paraplegic after having her throat cut during an attack in her home.
Rachael Lee, 42, was found bleeding and severely injured inside her Glendenning home in Sydney’s west on Saturday afternoon.
Her partner Kevin Scroop, 43, has been charged wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (DV) and was denied bail when he appeared via video link in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.
Police allege during an argument in the couple’s home Scroop slashed her throat. He was arrested at the scene while other officers tried to stop the bleeding from Ms Lee’s throat wound.
HEE KYUNG CHOI: Found dead at the base of a high-rise building after an alleged domestic violence related incident in an apartment above.
June Oh Seo, 37, was charged with assault following a tense daylong stand-off at a high-rise building in Sydney’s north, after the discovery of his girlfriend’s body in a laneway below.
Hee Kyung Choi, 34, was found in an alley off Brown Street, in the heart of the busy Chatswood shopping and business district, early on Monday by a passer-by.
Seo spent more than 12 hours perched on a perspex roof above a balcony on the 27th floor of the residential building before finally heading inside at 7pm. A Korean-speaking officer was involved in the negotiations.
The man spent Tuesday morning being questioned at Chatswood Police Station before he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Seo did not appear at Hornsby Local Court and his lawyer did not apply for bail which was formally refused by Magistrate Daniel Reiss.
Mr Reiss said there “may or may not be further charges” laid. Seo is expected to appear via video link when his matter returns to court on October 20.
Superintendent Philip Flogel on Monday night said the pair had been in a relationship for at least a couple of weeks.
“We believe this may be a domestic violence-related incident,” he told reporters at the scene.
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800 RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
Local Aboriginal Medical Service details available from www.bettertoknow.org.au/AMS
— With AAP
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