Townsville police grapple with soaring number of domestic violence incidents

Police on the front line of Townsville’s domestic violence crisis are facing unprecedented challenges, responding to as many as 50 call outs a day and they anticipate these numbers will only surge.

Police on the front line of Townsville’s domestic violence crisis are facing unprecedented challenges, responding to as many as 50 call outs a day and they anticipate these numbers will only surge.

The Townsville Domestic, Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Unit say police respond to between 35-50 DV-related call outs every day and anticipate those numbers to rise.

Sergeant Elise Feltham, engagement team leader, said she believes the increase reflects that a lot more people who didn’t report abuse in the past are now coming forward to police.

Senior Sergeant Adam Golding, Sergeant Elise Feltham and Townsville District Officer Acting Chief Superintendent Tom Armitt, launch Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The rate of breach of domestic violence protection orders in Townsville have also increased to almost twice the statewide average with 5171 offences in 2022-23, the equivalent of 2133 per 100,000 people.

It comes as women’s deaths, allegedly at the hands of men, have dominated headlines over the past two weeks, sparked by the Bondi killings and a string of other tragic incidents.

In Townsville at least two women have been killed in circumstances allegedly linked to domestic violence over the last two years.

Sergeant Feltham said every one of these deaths was devastating for them, whether they’re in Townsville or on the other side of the country.

“The events of the last few weeks have been pretty shocking for everyone including us,” she said.

“That’s why we’re working day in day out to try and prevent it, stop it and hold perpetrators to account but there’s clearly a lot of work to be done.”

Sergeant Elise Feltham launches Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month. Picture: Shae Beplate.

As Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month begins police have been raising community awareness about the many different signs of abuse, particularly when it came to coercive control.

“If someone is quiet, not talking or they’re losing contact with their family and friends and they’re distancing or isolating themselves usually that’s a sign for someone to step in and ask, are you okay?” Sergeant Feltham said.

She said there was also a heavy correlation between family and domestic violence and kids who are committing offences at a very young age.

“If they’re not safe at home, they’re out, obviously not at home, and there’s a reason for that,” she said.

“It’s not excusing it, but we’re saying there’s a lot of underlying factors and obviously juvenile crime links in with that heavily as well as alcohol and drug abuse.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Adam Golding — who has been working predominantly in the Criminal Investigation Branch and Major and Organised Crime for the last 24 years — was recently brought in as the new officer in charge of the Townsville Vulnerable Persons and Domestic Violence Unit.

The growing unit now has 19 permanent staff with a mix of mental health clinicians and civilians working with high risk team detectives and uniformed police.

Originally published as Townsville police grapple with soaring number of domestic violence incidents