ORANGE’S domestic violence rate has risen consistently for the last five years, and it is not because of an increase in reporting according to NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research director Don Weatherburn.
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Mr Weatherburn said he did not believe reporting of violence was higher in Orange because the rate had risen consistently over five years.
He said serious assaults were always reported because the victim required hospitalisation and Orange’s rate of serious assaults was also higher.
“Orange over five years has risen 9.5 per cent per annum” Mr Weatherburn said.
“It’s going up but it remains stable elsewhere.”
Orange’s domestic violence rate is twice that of the state with 299 assaults in the 12 months before September 2014. Bathurst, in comparison, had 235 domestic violence-related assaults in the same time.
Mr Weatherburn could not comment on why Orange had a high rate of domestic violence. He could only comment on the statistics and what were the usual risk factors associated with domestic violence.
“Alcohol abuse, financial stress, either of those two things can produce an increase or a growth in unemployment,” he said.
“Higher rates in itself are typically found in areas where there is a high level of disadvantage.”
Western NSW Local Health District social work and client support services department head, John Burns, said recent reforms introduced by the government, to Orange, were designed to reduce the number of incidents and “hopefully it will work”.
“The recent launch of the NSW government’s domestic violence reforms in Orange, called Safer Pathways - It Stops Here, has enhanced the interagency collaboration in responding to domestic and family violence,” Mr Burns said.
“Orange Health Service is fully behind these reforms. The police and courts do play a key role, but it is important to recognise that everyone in the community has a role to play in saying no to domestic and family violence in all its forms.”
Mr Burns said people should be supportive of victims of domestic violence, but if someone suspected a victim or children were at serious risk they should contact the Family and Community Services Helpline 132 111, or the domestic violence liaison officer at Orange Police station on 6363 6399.
If the threat is immediate they should call triple-0.
nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au
