By ALESHA CAPONE
ALMOST 7000 family violence incidents have been reported to police in the West over 12 months – which equals to an average of 19 per day.
Statistics, extracted from the Victoria Police database in July, show more than 2000 domestic violence cases reported in Wyndham during 2012-2013.
Elsewhere in West, there were 1940 family abuse incidents in Brimbank, just under 1430 in Melton, more than 810 in Hobsons Bay and 765 in Maribyrnong.
Children were present in more than 725 of Wyndham’s family violence cases, almost 580 of Brimbank’s and 490 within Melton.
Women’s Health West (WHW) supplied the statistics to Star last week, as they implemented the United project to help prevent violence against women in the West.
In Victoria, violence is the leading cause of death, disability and illness for women aged between 15 and 44 years old.
WHW family violence services manager, Jacky Tucker, said family violence rates in Wyndham, Brimbank and Melton were all above the state average.
She said police referrals to WHW for domestic violence rose to more than 4000 during 2012-2013, a “staggering” increase.
The United project, funded by the Department of Justice, is a partnership between 15 groups in the West.
A WHW health promotion worker, Stephanie Rich, said the project involved gender equity and prevention strategies being applied within workplaces, to prevent violence occurring in the first place.
“Workplaces are a key setting in which we can redress these key causes of violence against women,” she said
“By integrating gender equity at every level of an organisation, we can support the structural, cultural and attitudinal change required to prevent violence against women from occurring in the first place.”
Ms Tucker said WHW provided counselling and case management support to children and adults across all ages.
“However, the largest group is women between the ages of 20 and 35, the age span when families are forming and having children,” she said.
Contact WHW on 9689 9588 or the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 1800 015 188 for help.
