Cairns crime: Campaigners respond to police probe amid fears of a domestic violence death in FNQ

A damning internal Queensland Police Service report has laid bare what leading Far North domestic violence advocates have been saying. Why victims are not taken seriously.

A PROBE into inadequate police responses to domestic violence incidents in the Far North is under way with an internal report stating it’s only a matter of time before there is a domestic violence death.

The internal police intelligence report underscores what leading Far North domestic violence advocates have been saying about police apathy toward victims.

The fact that victims are all too often identified as perpetrators, often being charged themselves, has come to light in hearings for the independent Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service (QPS) responses to domestic and family violence.

Assistant commissioner Brian Codd told the inquiry he had only been made aware of the “highly concerning” report last week.

The report said in the Torres Strait, “the likelihood of a domestic and family violence death is high given the frequency and severity of the violence”.

Cairns-based Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service principal lawyer Thelma Schwartz said police often failed to adequately investigate reports of violence. Picture: Brendan Radke

The intelligence officer suggested officers on Thursday Island were finalising DV jobs prematurely as “DV other action” and were avoiding charging respondents with domestic-violence-related criminal offences, such as grievous bodily harm.

North Queensland Women’s Legal Service principal lawyer Hayley Grainger said First Nations women often “did not present as the perfect victim” and could be “mouthy”.

“Routinely, these women are not listened to and are treated insensitively by officers,” she said.

She provided case stories of victims misidentified as the perpetrator, charged and incarcerated.

“It may be that it is confronting and uncomfortable to deal with women who are loud, argumentative, use vulgar language … there is a real lack of understanding and empathy by the police in these situations,” Ms Grainger said.

“Victim blaming attitudes doggedly persist in the QPS.

“Many of our clients have been made to feel like it is their fault and they are wasting police time.

North Queensland Women’s Legal Service principal lawyer Hayley Grainger said intimate partner homicide research showed a woman was most at risk of being murdered when she expresses an intention to leave and in the ensuing months after she does leave. Picture: file picture.

“Often women experience dismissiveness and cynicism when what they need is understanding and support.”

Ms Grainger said apart from wilful damage, it was shocking how few criminal charges were laid.

Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service chief executive Sandra Keogh said victims who presented as angry and difficult were more likely to be dismissed or arrested.

Cairns Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service principal legal officer Thelma Schwartz has

recommended the QPS establishes a domestic violence code of practice.

“We routinely receive reports from women that even when they have found the courage to report abuse, it has been overlooked or not taken seriously,” she said.

Ms Schwartz said there was often failure to adequately investigate a report of violence.

“When our clients have reported to police, they have at times been met with an aggressive and heavy handed response, or alternatively, police inaction, disregard, disbelief and a lack of care,” Ms Schwartz said.

But she added that responses from police needed to be placed in context with government inaction.

A specialist DV court will be established in Cairns to deal with surging increases in DV charges by mid next year.

Originally published as Cairns crime: Campaigners respond to police probe amid fears of a domestic violence death in FNQ