❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the reported increase in domestic violence in the northern suburbs, inquiring about the causes, and if additional resources have been sought from other agencies. The response acknowledges the increase and outlines existing partnerships with other agencies.
AnsweredQoN 54Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
54. Hon ED DERMER to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the increase in domestic
violence reported to police in the northern suburbs in the last 12 months.
(1) Has any work been done to identify the cause of this
marked increase?
(2) Have
additional resources been sought by police from other agencies to work within
the community?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If yes to (2), what was the result of these
representations to other agencies?
54. Hon ED DERMER to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the increase in domestic
violence reported to police in the northern suburbs in the last 12 months.
(1) Has any work been done to identify the cause of this
marked increase?
(2) Have
additional resources been sought by police from other agencies to work within
the community?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
(4) If yes to (2), what was the result of these
representations to other agencies?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question.
On behalf of the Minister for Police, I answer as follows —
(1) Reported
domestic violence has increased by 26.4 per cent in the financial year to date
across Western Australia, with the rate in the metropolitan police region
increasing by 22.2 per cent in the financial year to date. The north west
metropolitan police district, which covers most of the northern suburbs, has
had an increase of 8.7 per cent in the financial year to date.
WA Police policy directs that an
officer who receives information that causes them to reasonably suspect that an
act of family and domestic violence is being or has been committed involving a
criminal offence is to submit a report. A family and domestic relationship
means a relationship between two persons who are or were married to each other;
who are or were in a de facto relationship with each other; who are or were
related to each other; one of whom is a child who ordinarily resides or resided
with the other person or who regularly resides or stays, or resided or stayed,
with the other person; one of whom is or was a child of whom the other person
is a guardian; or who have or had an intimate personal relationship or other
personal relationship with each other. No specific research has been undertaken
by WA Police into the cause of this increase.
(2) Police
currently have strong partnerships with other government agencies such as the
Department for Child Protection and Family Support, the Department of
Education, the Department of Corrective Services, the Department of the
Attorney General and the Department of Housing, along with other non-government
agencies.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Although
WA Police has strong relationships with other government and non-government
agencies, the increased prevalence of domestic violence in the community
continues to create challenges for this agency.
On behalf of the Minister for Police, I answer as follows —
(1) Reported
domestic violence has increased by 26.4 per cent in the financial year to date
across Western Australia, with the rate in the metropolitan police region
increasing by 22.2 per cent in the financial year to date. The north west
metropolitan police district, which covers most of the northern suburbs, has
had an increase of 8.7 per cent in the financial year to date.
WA Police policy directs that an
officer who receives information that causes them to reasonably suspect that an
act of family and domestic violence is being or has been committed involving a
criminal offence is to submit a report. A family and domestic relationship
means a relationship between two persons who are or were married to each other;
who are or were in a de facto relationship with each other; who are or were
related to each other; one of whom is a child who ordinarily resides or resided
with the other person or who regularly resides or stays, or resided or stayed,
with the other person; one of whom is or was a child of whom the other person
is a guardian; or who have or had an intimate personal relationship or other
personal relationship with each other. No specific research has been undertaken
by WA Police into the cause of this increase.
(2) Police
currently have strong partnerships with other government agencies such as the
Department for Child Protection and Family Support, the Department of
Education, the Department of Corrective Services, the Department of the
Attorney General and the Department of Housing, along with other non-government
agencies.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Although
WA Police has strong relationships with other government and non-government
agencies, the increased prevalence of domestic violence in the community
continues to create challenges for this agency.
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