LNP candidate and former Noosa mayor Clare Stewart has called on the Labor Government to commit greater funding for local support services for victims of domestic and family violence in next month’s state budget.
“The statistics tell a dark story about Noosa, and they are continuing to escalate,“ Ms Stewart said.
Noosa Heads Police Station Acting Senior Sergeant, Officer in Charge Ryan Hanlon said Noosa was on track for an expected 10 per cent rise in domestic violence breaches in 2024 compared to 2023.
“Noosa Police Station now has a safe space domestic and family violence room set up at Noosa station,” he said.
“It only opened two weeks ago and has been received positively by all victims attending the police station.”
Through Noosa Council, Ms Stewart invited Noosa Police, Sunny Kids, Noosa Zonta Club, Centacare and Uniting Care to collaborate with the Council in finding ways of how Noosa Magistrates Court might overcome the scarcity of domestic violence information and support services.
Through the Mingle with the Mayors Balls in August 2021 and September 2022 organised by WomenKind Inc and supported strongly by the community, an extraordinary $300,000 was raised for Sunny Kids and The Salvation Army to provide emergency accommodation and support to mothers and children affected by domestic violence.
“I am increasingly confident that this three-year collaboration will lead to the establishment of increased legal services and supportive environment at Noosa Magistrate’s Court when dealing with domestic and family violence matters,“ Ms Stewart said.
“Ultimately, we want to see provision of services where clients are provided with the vital resources and information required to gain a thorough understanding of court processes.
“We all hate and want to eradicate domestic violence. It’s a disease destroying so many lives.“
Noosa police are committed to supporting victims and fighting this scourge, spending a significant amount of their working lives on domestic violence incidents.
Queensland Police officers like Acting Senior Sergeant Sharon Morgan, have spent the better part of their policing careers assisting those in dangerous, abusive relationships and unsafe homes to safety.
Her empathetic approach and discernment of facts is a result not only of her training, but her own personal experience. Sharon is a victim-survivor.
Sharon met her now ex-partner at age 17, describing the beginning of their relationship as a ‘thrill’ to be dating a man in his early 20s and his aptitude for gentlemanly behaviours.
After just a few months into their relationship, Sharon recalls the first night she was exposed to physical violence.
From that moment, Sharon would be exposed to physical, emotional, financial abuse and coercive control for more than seven years.
During this time, she embarked on her career as an officer with QPS, hiding the abuse she suffered from her colleagues for years, until an occurrence which saw her sergeant at the time respond and immediately intervene.
Now, Sharon uses her experience as a propeller to help those who find themselves in high-risk abusive relationships, through her role as Senior Sergeant in the Domestic and Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command High Risk Teams.
“As a police officer and someone who is a victim-survivor, you are so passionate about that space, I just want to make sure that I can help people still,” Sharon said.
“I wanted to join the police because I wanted to help people and I think in this area, I am able to do that.”
With so many support services available now, Senior Sergeant Sharon Morgan is imploring victim-survivors to contact police or partner agencies for help.
“We’ve got so many things available to victims now that can assist in leaving or preventing further DFV,” she said.
“As a victim-survivor myself, I wish I had that support when I was going through my experience. Thankfully now there are so many resources and service available to support victim survivors.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, you should report it to police.
Support and counselling is available from the following agencies:
DVConnect Womensline: 1800 811 811
DVConnect Mensline: 1800 600 636
1800
RESPECT: 1800 737 732
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YARN: 13 92 76
