'We worry this year might be particularly high': Family violence expected to spike during post-COVID Christmas

It was several days before Christmas about six years ago when Geraldine Bilston called her mother in fear and asked her to urgently come and pick up her two-year-old daughter.

A verbal altercation between Geraldine and her partner had intensified, and his aggression was scaring her.

Geraldine Bilston left an abusive relationship about five years ago. Credit: Simon Schluter

“It was so bad, and I saw his behaviour escalating so badly that I called my mum to pick up my daughter so she wouldn't have to be there while that was going on,” she says.

After almost five years in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship, where her partner had slowly gained control of all aspects of her life including her finances, Geraldine knew the danger she and her daughter were in.

“He was also isolating me from my family and friends so that push at Christmastime to spend time around family, I think had increased the potential [for violence] as well," she says.

“Any time that there was added pressure like that ... it was always going to increase the risk of how he would behave,” she says. “That was December, and I left in February.”

Jacqui Watt, chief executive of No to Violence, Acting Inspector Alasdair Gall, Acting Superintendent from Family Violence Command, Marnie Johnstone, and Tracey Gaudry, chief executive of Respect Victoria.Credit: Simon Schluter

Police and family violence support services have voiced concerns about an expected jump in family violence incidents during this year’s post-lockdown festive season, as Victorians grapple with increased financial pressures and the prospect of large family gatherings after months at home.

No to Violence, Respect Victoria and Victoria Police will on Wednesday launch a campaign dubbed Safe Silly Season to raise awareness of how dangerous this time can be and highlight the support available for victims and perpetrators of family violence.

Data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows that on Christmas Day last year there were 49 per cent more reports of family violence incidents than the daily average for that year, and 27 per cent more on Boxing Day.

There was also a 39 per cent increase in family violence assaults on Christmas Day and a 33 per cent increase on Boxing Day.

For Geraldine, who now works as an advocate for survivors of family violence, leaving her partner was not the end of the nightmare. He breached an intervention order several times, before he tried to run her off the road in his car. He then left the country before he could be charged, and continued harassing her from overseas.

She urged those experiencing family violence, including during the festive season, to tell someone what is happening and seek help.

“I think that society has this historic view of what family violence looks like – a drunken man coming home and beating his wife,” she says.

"It goes much further than that and it is unacceptable when you make somebody scared, when you humiliate them, or intimidate someone, belittle someone, or seek to try to control them.

"If that’s the way you are responding to stress then you do need to assess your behaviour and reach out and get help around that."

"I also want to be really clear and say it’s not Christmas, it's not the festive season that causes violence against women or family violence.

"It’s a person’s choice to respond to those stresses that is the cause, it is still their choice to use violence."

Acting Superintendent Marnie Johnstone from Victoria Police’s family violence command said gatherings with family could be stressful after what has been challenging year.

“This year has been one unlike any other we’ve seen in Victoria. The Christmas and holiday period might be the first time many people are getting together with family, with new and unique challenges as a result of the pandemic,” she said.

No to Violence chief executive Jacqui Watt said workers at their calls centres had seen an increase in the number of people reaching out with concerns about financial pressures.

“We know that family violence has increased as a result or during the pandemic and we also know families are under pressures that they’ve probably not been under before," she said.

"Christmas is always a stressful time and our experience in running a call centre in Melbourne, we see these calls rising every year at this time of year and we worry this year might be particularly high because of the situation people have faced."

People will be coming back together "in ways in which they haven’t for a long long time", said Respect Victoria chief executive Tracey Gaudry, as she urged people to think about what positive engagement could look like if there are stressful situations.

"Sharing the chores, respecting what each other has to say and taking time out to listen to the lives of your friends and family you haven't seen for a long time," she said.

It comes as the state government announced $7.8 million to expand a Frankston Magistrates Court family violence program.

The funding pays for legal advice for cases before other magistrates courts, which could include Melbourne and Dandenong, to help resolve family violence intervention orders before the matter is supposed to be heard in court.

Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said the initiative minimises backlogs in courts and supports women earlier.

Victoria Police said in September it recorded 88,214 family violence incidents in the year from June 2019 to June this year, a 6.7 per cent rise from the preceding 12 months.

According to government figures, pending family violence matters have almost doubled since the start of the pandemic. By mid-October, there were 15,200 family violence cases waiting to be finalised in the Victorian Magistrates Court.

For help call the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817. The Men’s Referral Service is on 1300 766 491.

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