Police Monthly May 2013 - NSW Police Force

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BEHIND CLOSED DOO Working to address the scourge of domestic violence STORY BROOKE EGGLETON RADIO OPERATIONS GROUP PHOTO REUBEN ENNOR CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS UNIT Over the last decade, reports of domestic and family violence have consistently increased as the community recognises that it’s no longer a ‘private’ matter. Domestic violence involves behaviour that ranges from emotional abuse, intimidation, physical abuse and at an escalated level violent attacks. Senior Programs Officer for the Domestic & Family Violence Team, Robyn Auld said it’s a basic human right that people should have shelter, be safe in their own home and live free from violence. “The community has become less tolerant over time to the use of violence as a means to resolve conflict,” she said. NSWPF Spokesperson for Domestic & Family Violence, Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch said police are actively involved in providing support and referral for victims through collaborative 14 PoliceMonthly MAY 2013
ABOVE Mt Druitt LAC’s Domestic & Family Violence Liaison Officers, Snr Cst Brian Johnson and Sgt David McInerney working relationships with a range of government and non-government agencies. The DVLO – who is assigned in each of the 80 LACs in NSW – performs a key role in making this effective collaboration possible. Mount Druitt DVLO Coordinator Sgt David McInerney said the role of DVLO has a strong focus on the victim. “We make sure the victim understands what might be required through the court system, we also put them in contact with various support services and we do a lot of victim follow up,” he said. Sgt McInerney said that working with victims can however prove challenging for a number of reasons. “We have victims who are too scared to give a statement or take action, are caught up in their relationship bond, sometimes it’s a financial factor,” he said. “Others are caught in the cycle of violence and some victims have either a dislike or cultural fear of police. RS “Culturally speaking the fear is there from a different country where the police were seen as an enforcement agency for the government in a corrupt or violent way,” he said. Sgt McInerney said to address these issues DVLOs work with external agencies that provide victim support in different ways. The Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS) for example help female victims and defendants through the court process in explaining how the judicial system works and what power protection orders have. Sgt McInerney said Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) is another fantastic resource that is of great benefit to victims of domestic violence. “They can provide support by helping the victim stay at home and within their own community,” he said. “It means the family doesn’t have to uproot their lives and change everything because the offender has done the wrong thing.” Sgt McInerney said SHLV can provide personal protection alarms, back to base alarm systems and motion detecting cameras that help the victim feel safe and secure. While DVLOs are victim orientated they are also sometimes involved in programs – like the Pacific Island Perpetrator Program that’s managed by Mount Druitt Probation & Parole – that aim to stem the likelihood of repeat offenders. Mount Druitt DVLO Snr Cst Brian Johnson has been involved in the program for the last three years and said it’s managed like an open forum where participants can ask questions and clarify issues. “Probation & Parole is a really good partner agency and I think they are really proactive in trying to achieve things,” he said. DVLOs also develop strategies that target HROs and often work with DVOs in carrying out compliance operations that monitor AVOs as well as bail conditions. Sgt McInerney said offender letters can also be utilised in making the offender aware that they’re being proactively targeted, not only for domestic violence related offences but any form of criminal behaviour. “We also focus on consistent victim follow up in these instances,” he said. “It becomes more of a managed case basically – with the victim and the offender.” LACs are also involved in event programs that target younger demographics, which focus on breaking the intergenerational cycle of domestic violence. Walgett LAC in conjunction with Mission Australia, Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service and other local groups hold ‘Boys Day Out’ and ‘Girls Night In’ events where teenagers can discuss relationships, the effects of drug and alcohol abuse and learn what resources are available to them in their community. DVLO Coordinator for Domestic & Family Violence Team, Leah Archer said that breaking the cycle of violence is always a difficult challenge. “As soon as kids realise that domestic violence is not acceptable, they’re less likely to commit it,” she said. One of the most complex responsibilities of DVLOs is the role they play in attending court. This involves speaking with victims and offenders, obtaining instructions on court proceedings and ensuring that orders and applications are properly completed and served. Snr Cst Johnson said everyone has a purpose and a role at court despite the fact that they’re all ultimately working toward the same common good. “As police we are incident driven and based around the law and our prosecutors work along the same vain.” “Court advocacy groups take a more holistic approach in managing cases, and legal aid are very defendant based so their aim is to get the best result for the defendant,” he said. Ms Auld said the judicial system can also prove trying for DVLOs when offenders are given perceivably lenient sentences. “That is quite difficult for police as they do all the leg work in attending a domestic violence incident, they do the investigation, take photos and victim statements and attend court,” she said. “But sometimes from the police perspective that doesn’t seem to pay off.” DVLOs also work with GDs in reviewing domestic and family violence reports and cases and carrying out follow up visits with victims when necessary. Sgt McInerney said the GDs manage the initial domestic incident in attending the scene, taking statements, arresting offenders and applying for an AVO. Sgt McInerney said the DVLO in turns acts as an oversight body in ensuring the incidents are responded to correctly – which is informed by their specialist knowledge of the area regarding SOPs for instance. “We’re trying to help GDs, not hinder them,” he said. “Making sure that everything is done correctly is part of our job and if we can help everyone with that as in the victim, the offender and police, then we’ve done our job.” Ms Auld said there’s a lot more resources, skills, training and knowledge available to support police now to carry out proactive investigations and prosecutions to ideally achieve better court results. “We’re lucky to have so many passionate DVLOs,” she said. “They’re dealing with victims who may be crying, angry, scared – the whole range of emotions – and they have to find a way to connect with them.” “It’s a credit to them – regardless of how long they work in the role – as it’s a highly emotive, volatile and dangerous area of work and they achieve great results.” MAY 2013 PoliceMonthly 15
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Police Monthly May 2013 - NSW Police Force

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