❓ Question on Notice regarding the WA government's approach to criminalising coercive control and raising public awareness. The Minister details the phased approach, the $5 million education campaign, and criticises the opposition's silence on the issue.
AnsweredQoN 700Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COERCIVE CONTROL —
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
700. Ms K.E. GIDDENS to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to preventing all forms of family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the phased approach to criminalising coercive control?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is working collaboratively with
stakeholders to improve public awareness of family and domestic violence?
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
700. Ms K.E. GIDDENS to the Minister for Prevention of
Family and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to preventing all forms of family and domestic violence.
(1) Can the minister update the
house on the phased approach to criminalising coercive control?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is working collaboratively with
stakeholders to improve public awareness of family and domestic violence?
AnswerView source ↗
Madam Speaker, this is my first
opportunity to recognise your long, long service in this place. You are truly a
giant, and we walk on your shoulders. Thank you.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Ms S.E. WINTON : I respond to
the question.
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Bateman for her question and her continued advocacy for
the prevention of family and domestic violence. We know that coercive control
is a particularly insidious form of abuse. It is often marked by very subtle persistent patterns of control and manipulation,
and it is really difficult to recognise . Let us be clear: it is often
these behaviours that ultimately, although seeming normal, can escalate and
result in fatal consequences.
Our
Cook government has been clear and consistent. We are taking a phased approach
to the criminalisation of coercive control. We are doing that because
that is what the experts are telling us to do. It is on the advice of our sector partners and, of course, also
from the report of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime , who told us
that we need a phased approach.
Of course, one of the recommendations
from the commissioner was that there needed to be an education campaign to
increase public awareness to ensure that the community as well as our systems
recognise and understand coercive control before the criminalisation of a standalone
offence can be successful. That is why I am proud that the Premier and I recently
launched a $5 million two-year education campaign that focuses on helping the
public to understand what coercive control looks like. The tagline is ''It
doesn't have to be physical. Coercive control is family and domestic
violence.''
At the launch, we were joined by
victim–survivor Sheree Schonian, who shared her story of her 16-year
relationship with her abusive ex-partner. At first, many of his behaviours
seemed normal—something a loving, protective partner would do, like ask
her where she was going and when she was coming home—but, over time,
the behaviours escalated. She was told what to wear, which friends she could
see, when she could go out and what she could eat and drink. Many of these
behaviours are demonstrated in our ad campaign that is running across print,
online ads and radio. We have also created online resources, which are very
important, so that further supports are available to people so that they can
identify those toxic behaviours and where to get help. The campaign approach
has been informed by key organisations and individuals who have all welcomed
our government's approach.
Unusually, though, there is one group
that has failed to welcome the campaign—just one group—and that
is those on the other side of the house. One would expect that, given that the
Liberals made a 2021 election commitment to
run a public awareness campaign on family and domestic violence, they would be
supportive of this important measure, but they have been silent. We know
that as a coalition government, the Liberals and Nationals cannot even agree on
key family and domestic violence policies. The Nationals WA would reintroduce
guns into our community, while the Liberals support our strict laws around guns
that help to keep women and children safe. They have no policies, and they
cannot even get right the little policy they have. What does the public really
think will happen if a coalition government were ever contemplated?
The Cook government has a long
history on investing in and prioritising the prevention of family and domestic
violence. We are not going to be silent on this issue. We are going to take
every opportunity to raise that awareness. It is a key part of breaking the
silence. We will take every opportunity to continue to listen to the experts who
know best, and our policies and investments will be guided by them.
opportunity to recognise your long, long service in this place. You are truly a
giant, and we walk on your shoulders. Thank you.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Ms S.E. WINTON : I respond to
the question.
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Bateman for her question and her continued advocacy for
the prevention of family and domestic violence. We know that coercive control
is a particularly insidious form of abuse. It is often marked by very subtle persistent patterns of control and manipulation,
and it is really difficult to recognise . Let us be clear: it is often
these behaviours that ultimately, although seeming normal, can escalate and
result in fatal consequences.
Our
Cook government has been clear and consistent. We are taking a phased approach
to the criminalisation of coercive control. We are doing that because
that is what the experts are telling us to do. It is on the advice of our sector partners and, of course, also
from the report of the Commissioner for Victims of Crime , who told us
that we need a phased approach.
Of course, one of the recommendations
from the commissioner was that there needed to be an education campaign to
increase public awareness to ensure that the community as well as our systems
recognise and understand coercive control before the criminalisation of a standalone
offence can be successful. That is why I am proud that the Premier and I recently
launched a $5 million two-year education campaign that focuses on helping the
public to understand what coercive control looks like. The tagline is ''It
doesn't have to be physical. Coercive control is family and domestic
violence.''
At the launch, we were joined by
victim–survivor Sheree Schonian, who shared her story of her 16-year
relationship with her abusive ex-partner. At first, many of his behaviours
seemed normal—something a loving, protective partner would do, like ask
her where she was going and when she was coming home—but, over time,
the behaviours escalated. She was told what to wear, which friends she could
see, when she could go out and what she could eat and drink. Many of these
behaviours are demonstrated in our ad campaign that is running across print,
online ads and radio. We have also created online resources, which are very
important, so that further supports are available to people so that they can
identify those toxic behaviours and where to get help. The campaign approach
has been informed by key organisations and individuals who have all welcomed
our government's approach.
Unusually, though, there is one group
that has failed to welcome the campaign—just one group—and that
is those on the other side of the house. One would expect that, given that the
Liberals made a 2021 election commitment to
run a public awareness campaign on family and domestic violence, they would be
supportive of this important measure, but they have been silent. We know
that as a coalition government, the Liberals and Nationals cannot even agree on
key family and domestic violence policies. The Nationals WA would reintroduce
guns into our community, while the Liberals support our strict laws around guns
that help to keep women and children safe. They have no policies, and they
cannot even get right the little policy they have. What does the public really
think will happen if a coalition government were ever contemplated?
The Cook government has a long
history on investing in and prioritising the prevention of family and domestic
violence. We are not going to be silent on this issue. We are going to take
every opportunity to raise that awareness. It is a key part of breaking the
silence. We will take every opportunity to continue to listen to the experts who
know best, and our policies and investments will be guided by them.
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