WA Police provides data on repeat family and domestic violence offenders and outlines existing pathways for intervention, referencing relevant legislation. The response highlights government investment and commitment to victim safety.

AnsweredQoN 1445Legislative Council
Asked
14 April 2026
Portfolio
Police

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Ombudsman’s finding that a significant majority of perpetrators had prior family and domestic violence history, and I ask:(a) Please table what proportion of offenders in family and domestic violence incidents had prior recorded incidents in each of the past three years;(b) What escalation, monitoring or intervention pathways are in place for repeat offenders;(c) Are there defined thresholds or criteria that trigger escalation for repeat offending; and(d) Has the effectiveness of these pathways been formally evaluated, and if so, what were the outcomes?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
14 May 2026
Responded by
Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Police
Response time
6 days
(a) The Cook Labor Government continues to invest across Government in combatting Family and Domestic Violence. This includes empowering the Western Australia Police Force to hold perpetrators to account, to ensure that ongoing repeat offenders are prevented from continuing to offend whenever possible.
The proportion of offenders in family and domestic violence incidents between the 1 - 30 November 2024 (i.e., the Ombudsman’s review period), that had prior recorded incidents in each of the previous three 12-month periods are;
1 November 2021 – 31 October 2022: 15.1%
1 November 2022 – 31 October 2023: 6.8%
1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024: 18.8%
(b) The WA Police Force has the following pathways at its disposal for targeting repeat offenders:
A number of other options for dealing with repeat offenders exist across Government, including within the Department of Justice and the Department of Communities.
(c) Police’s responsibilities are determined by the Restraining Orders Act 1997 and the Bail Act 1982 .
(d) The WA Police Force remains committed to ensuring its processes provide safety for victim-survivors while holding perpetrators to account.

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