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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-18 Daily Xml
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FAMILY VIOLENCE

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:32): As we come to the end of 2009, I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy festive season. In doing so, I recognise that it is also a time of great strain and stress for many families. It is a sad fact that domestic and family violence can surge at this time of year and, as a society, we need to renew our commitment to safe environments for all.

The Rann government is strongly committed to ensuring that all women and children and, indeed, the whole community live safely, free of all forms of violence. After a consultation process, this government has recently taken legislative steps to this end and, federally, we have also seen a good deal of work done on highlighting binge drinking.

Drinking to excess, rightly recognised now as a significant problem in Australia, is a key trigger for violence, and I feel for those working hard to provide safe venues for students who have travelled to Victor Harbor for Schoolies to celebrate the end of their year 12 studies and exams. Recent reports on Hindley Street underline the problems that alcohol can bring here in the CBD. In homes all over this nation, domestic consumption of alcohol to excess can add to tensions accompanying daily life in these times and push people beyond reasonable behaviour.

Alcohol addiction, as with other addictions, is a symptom of other underlying problems and, as a child, I witnessed firsthand how family life can crumble when appropriate action is not taken. Prevention is better than cure in all situations and that has been a driving force behind the government's new measures in initiating a pilot Family Safety Framework approach to addressing the devastating and debilitating issue of domestic and family violence.

At its beginnings, what may seem to be benign changes in behaviour can involve little more than raised voices. The common denominator is that the person on the receiving end of this verbal abuse feels uncomfortable enough to begin to dread similar confrontations. At the other extreme, a person's safety can be threatened and, sadly, there continue to be far too many high profile and very tragic cases with the death of a partner, child or, even worse, total familicide.

Too often the signs are seen but action seems too hard to take with people often feeling totally helpless to prevent the devastation of broken families or loss of life. The Family Safety Framework strategy importantly aims to have agencies work together in a coordinated, consistent approach with improved responses to women and children at risk and also the men who use violence.

A feature of the initiative is the Family Safety Meeting. In a similar way, I would like to see a restorative justice style of meeting introduced, where possible involving the perpetrator or the person likely to become violent, where they might receive assistance before a crisis transpires. It is apparent from the Department of Justice's November 2008 final evaluation report that better ways of engaging perpetrators must be identified and implemented as a matter of urgency.

I commend all who work to expose and prevent domestic violence and those who deal with the families affected by it. A local Tea Tree Gully group, NEDVAG (North-East Domestic Violence Action Group) does great work and I thank them for their important contribution. I also commend the commitment, dedication and passion of those involved with the Coalition of Women's Domestic Violence Services in South Australia and the Domestic Violence Death Review Advocacy Coalition South Australia.

Returning to the theme of alcohol being associated with violence, and especially violence against women, it has been heartening to see the government's changes to rape and sexual assault become law. Rape and sexual assault have been a very prominent part of problems sporting clubs deal with on an all too regular basis. End of year club trips especially see young people particularly vulnerable, as both victims and perpetrators. Some very good work is being done by sporting codes and academic research is shining a light on this very phenomenon; that is, where alcohol and testosterone meet.

To me, it highlights that, as a society, we are not yet comfortable naming the boundaries and behaviours that are not acceptable, let alone dealing with them. Much like whistleblowing, the mechanism to control and counter extreme and violent behaviour is still to be defined. Like bullying and corruption, it seems to be difficult to identify, with some feeling it is only a trifling issue. Peer pressure and the need to conform are other powerful factors.

Very little seems to have changed to strengthen the resolve of those who witness and wish to intervene in powerful emotional situations. We must develop clear guidelines and processes to deal with situations before they escalate. Help must be available and coping strategies put in place until the behaviours are changed. In the past, women, children and pets have been forced to flee. Lives which are disturbed by violence are being completely turned upside down and damage to children especially is enormous inside the family and well beyond when extended family members are also involved.

This Christmas, as we each ponder the meaning of peace on earth and goodwill to all as we spend precious time with our loved ones, families and friends, let us spare a thought for those facing fear, sadness and despair and those who will care for them, the health care workers and personnel of emergency services who deal with these incidents as they occur. We owe them a good deal of thanks and wish them, too, time with their families in this festive end of year period.

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