Concerning new data reveals domestic violence-related assault on the rise in NSW

Data has revealed more than 37,000 incidents of a concerning trend in one state, with the figure on the rise compared with previous years.

New data has highlighted the “staggering” number of domestic aggravated violence orders in force across NSW, with domestic violence-related assault on the rise.

The number of domestic AVOs in NSW has risen by more than 50 per cent in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2020, according to Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data.

NSW BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said the new data shined a light on the importance of AVOs.

“We’ve always been able to observe how many orders were issued, and that's about 50,000 per year, but we can now look at the number of AVOs in force in the community and it’s really a staggering number,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

“In June 2024, more than 100,000 people are being protected by an AVO in NSW, so really high volumes.

“This shows how important AVOs are in terms of being that first response to DV that’s recorded to police, the most common intervention that we have really to address domestic violence.”

About 4 per cent of apprehended domestic violence orders were breached in the second quarter of this year, while one in five are beached overall.

There are more than 100,000 AVOs in place across NSW. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

One in five apprehended domestic violence orders are breached. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

However, the breach rate has remained stable since 2020, surprising Ms Fitzgerald who noted the figure was still “higher than we’d like”.

“It’s one of the only measures in DV that is steady. While it isn’t going down – which would be our preferred option – stable is the next best thing,” she said.

The fresh data comes just months after the state criminalised coercive control, with offenders able to face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.

It’s linked to a pattern of behaviour that can include financial and emotional abuse, violence and intimidation, threats against pets or loved ones, tracking someone’s movements, or isolating them from family and friends.

NSW Police recorded 33 coercive control incidents in August – just the second month of coercive control reforms – bringing the number of incidents up by 10 compared with July.

Each incident included an average of three controlling behaviours, including harassment, tracking, shaming, humiliating, threats and intimidation.

The figure surprised Ms Fitzgerald, who said she expected the number to be lower given the reforms had only just come in.

“Because coercive control requires a pattern of behaviour, I think we probably had expected that it would take a while for there to be incidents recorded, but actually we’re seeing 56 incidents recorded and that’s really quite widespread across NSW,” she said.

Ms Fitzgerald added the figure would likely increase month by month.

“The wide span of behaviours that (coercive control) encompasses, both what we’ve always considered to be DV like physical assault is certainly included, but things like social isolation, harming of pets … these more recently well understood elements of DV,” she said.

The data also found domestic violence-related assaults have risen by 6.5 per cent in June this year compared with the previous 12 months, while the figure has risen by 2.8 per cent per year on average over the last 10 years.

Domestic violence-related assault is on the rise. Picture: BOCSAR

More than 30 people have also been killed in domestic violence-related murders in NSW over the last year, including 15 female adults, three children, and 13 adult males.

About 70 per cent of the adult women were killed by an intimate partner, while 90 per cent of children were killed by a family member and 40 per cent of adult males were killed by someone other than a partner or family member (for example, a flatmate).

In the five years to June 2024, all adult female victims were murdered by a male intimate partner compared with 71 per cent of adult male victims murdered by a female intimate partner, while three in four family murder victims were killed by a male family member.

The data also found while three in five DV assault victims are women, Aboriginal women are eight times more likely to be recorded as a victim.

It also found seven in 10 incidents result in legal action.

A NSW Police spokesperson said domestic and family violence “remains a key focus” of the force.

“DFV is one of the most underreported crimes because the perpetrator often knows the victim intimately through a long-term, close or developing relationship. A rise in the number of reports of this form of abusive behaviour shows that this is no longer seen as a ‘private’ matter,” the spokesperson said.

A specialist policing team — the Domestic and Family Violence Registry (the Registry) was launched in NSW and is “driving strategies for the prevention, disruption, and investigation into domestic and family violence in NSW”.

A state-wide operation focusing on domestic and family violence offenders with an elevated level of threat to their victim was also launched in 2023, which resulted in 4,044 arrests and 7,680 charges laid.

“Statewide officers conducted 887 FPO searches and seized 348 firearms, completed 43,270 ADVO compliance checks, and 9,712 DV bail compliance checks,” the spokesperson confirmed, while the “Empower You” app has also been designed to discreetly document abuse.

Originally published as Concerning new data reveals domestic violence-related assault on the rise in NSW