Women fleeing domestic violence don’t have the option of waiting for fine weather so despite the heavy rain last Sunday evening, the Zonta Club of Noosa in partnership with Noosa Police and Noosa Council felt they too should continue with their event to highlight gender-based violence.
Each year, aligning themselves with Zonta International, the Zonta Club of Noosa participates in the United Nations’ Women’s 16 Days of Activism campaign calling for action against one of the world’s most persistent violations of human rights – violence against women, Zonta’s Tracey Stubbs told the gathering.
Noosa police acting officer-in-charge Sergeant Neil Ashley provided some sobering statistics on the incidence of domestic violence in Queensland before enlightening the group with a first-hand account on the changes to policing that occurred with the introduction of the Domestic Violence Act in Queensland in 1989.
Sgt Ashley had just completed his academy training in 1989 where he was taught about the new Act and new powers it delivered to police to tackle domestic violence before being deployed to duty where the legislation rocked the old guard.
“This legislation was a significant change in police and court responsibilities and powers with respect to investigating, enforcing and improving the safety of victims of domestic violence, usually women,“ he said.
Prior to the law being enacted a man’s home was his castle, what went on behind closed doors was a private matter and police did not enter someone’s home without a very good reason and usually a warrant.
“When the Domestic Violence Act came to power it provided power for police to enter and remain to investigate reports of domestic violence,“ Sgt Ashley said.
“This was a huge change. It took some senior police of the day some time to get used to having these powers.“
Since 1989 much has changed in policing with increased training, more in-depth investigations and Sgt Ashley expected further changes given the recent findings of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into QPS responses to domestic and family violence and the commissioner’s commitment to improvements.
Many would think not enough had changed, “not fast enough“ and he agreed, praising Zonta for their action.
“Public attitudes take time to shift,“ he said.
“It’s events such as these that can help bring some focus to the issue and speed up a shift in public attitudes.
“What doesn’t change is the way women facing DV situations feel and one question police ask during investigations is ‘do you feel scared in your relationship – ever?’ Because you should never have to feel scared in your relationship,“ he said.
In the 2021-22 financial year there were more than 138,800 DV incidents recorded by police in Queensland. There were almost 47,000 breaches of DV protection orders (20,500 more than in 2017-18) and there were more than 2100 cases of strangulation in a domestic setting (1000 more than in 2017-18).
There were five DV murders in Queensland in the past year – four women, aged 46, 47, 45 and 71 and one 20-year-old man, all killed by males.
Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart described the statistics as “frightening“, saying each woman was a mother, daughter, sister, friend.
She highlighted council’s efforts in providing assistance to Shine Houses which provide crisis accommodation to women and children fleeing domestic violence, in being the first council to enable tiny homes for people at risk to be placed on public land and in being involved in a taskforce working on the issue.
“We need to do everything we can to bring it to an end,“ she said.
Sunday’s rain did force the cancellation of a march planned to honour those women who have lost their lives through domestic violence but participants lit candles to remember them, placing a candle in the many pairs of shoes collected – each pair representing a life lost in the past year in Australia.
