By NICOLE VALICEK
FAMILY Violence is on the rise in Hobsons Bay according to the latest police statistic but experts say that means more women are reporting incidents.
According to the latest Victoria Police statistics, the number of family violence incidents reported to police has steadily increased from 2007/2008 to 2011/2012.
The highest rise was in 2011/12 with 619 family violence incidents reported to the police, a jump of 69, compared to 550 reported in 2010/11.
Women’s Health West Family Violence Services Manager Jacky Tucker said Women’s Health West’s police referral statistics show a 57.3 per cent increase in the 11 months from July 2012 to May 2013, but it wasn’t all negative.
“Higher reporting rates reflect women’s rising confidence that their reports will be believed and taken seriously by police, courts and the community,” she said.
Hobsons Bay Police Inspector Richard Paterson agreed, and said historically the crime had gone unrecorded.
Insp Paterson said today police have the right processes, actions and support networks in place to respond better to family violence.
“It is increasing but that’s because we’re encouraging people to report, and I think it will continue to increase for 12 months or so,” he said.
Ms Tucker said family violence was a serious and systematic social problem in Hobsons Bay and across the whole of Victoria.
According to the Victoria Police, on average 275 families in every 10,000 families living in Hobsons bay are affected by family violence.
“It is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15-44 years; but it’s preventable,” she said.
Insp Paterson said family violence was an issue for Hobsons Bay, but that it was low compared to surrounding areas.
In Maribyrnong, family violence incident reports have jumped 120 per cent since 2007/08, and in Wyndham they rose 130 per cent since 2007/08.
Ms Tucker said there was “an awful lot” that can be done to prevent family violence but that it was a big task.
