One survivor said the service,Legal Aid NSW,“saved my life” as her violent ex-partner formed detailed plans to kill her and her children.
The march against domestic violence on April 27 emerged from widespread shock and anger over the alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst.Supplied
Bridget,speaking anonymously to protect her family’s safety,recounted how what seemed like a “perfect” new relationship devolved into a decade of terror.
“My violence went for almost a decade:emotional,physical and financial. It started off perfect in the beginning,then violence started creeping in a little bit,” she told this masthead.
“There was a growing threat to myself and my children. I recognised the environment wasn’t safe and thought it was going to end in us being killed.”
Bridget’s ex-partner had been working on plans to kill her and their children with guns.
She turned to family and friends for shelter and support,then police who imposed a two-year apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO).
But it was the duty lawyers at Legal Aid who took Bridget’s case through the family court for restraint orders that will keep her ex away from the children until they turn 18.
“I think they saved my life and my children’s lives,” Bridget said. “Getting those strong orders and restraints were a crucial part in us feeling safe and being in a stable environment.”
During the financial year 2019-20,Legal Aid NSW duty solicitors provided 4603 services,such as meeting with survivors,appearing in court and drafting legal documents.
The solicitors have provided 7841 separate services in the current financial year to date - a 70 per cent increase in five years - and there are still two months left. Of the services,94 per cent were to
women and 36 per cent to those in regional NSW.
Acting director of Legal Aid NSW’s domestic violence unit,Anna Baltins,said the service’s statewide hotline and duty lawyers have both recorded significant increases in demand in the last two years in particular.
“Going to court can be really triggering and re-traumatising for clients particularly because the women we see are in crisis,they’re having to tell the most difficult and personal details of their life to someone over the phone,” Baltins said.
Many of the cases involving domestic violence are complex;financial pressures,drug problems,child custody,housing. Baltins said it might begin in local court with an ADVO but move into the family court,as it did in Bridget’s case.
“What it looks like on the ground,it’s not uncommon for us to start the day with 60 women waiting to talk to us,” Baltins said.
“That’s a lot of pressure for our staff. It means sometimes we don’t get to speak to every woman on the same day,which is what we would love to do and we aim to do - no one gets turned away.”
National Legal Aid last week announced it needs $317 million a year to keep up with the growing “domestic violence crisis” which is killing one woman every four days across Australia and hospitalising and traumatising countless more.
There have been a staggering 22,500 breaches of ADVOs in the last year alone,the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research found.
Legal Aid NSW,which receives about 30 per cent of the national budget,is bracing for another increase in demand in July when coercive control laws pass in NSW.
“We are stretched,and we are struggling to keep up with demand,” Baltins said.
“And we are expecting an increase in demand with the Coercive Control Reforms.”
The state government says the new laws will criminalise “repeated patterns of physical or non-physical abuse used to hurt,scare,intimidate,threaten or control” current or former intimate partners.
TheHerald last week revealed women are being to escape violence around Newcastle as the cost of housing spirals completely out of control.
“We’ve had clients who have said that they won’t leave a violent home because they have nowhere to go,” Baltins said.
“They can’t afford to find new housing or there’s no housing available. There’s no emergency accommodation.”
More hotline calls are reaching Legal Aid NSW from the regions,Baltins said,and the duty solicitors are going to more regional and remote courts for hearings.
Increased awareness of the signs of domestic violence,new laws and the increased reach of specialised DV Police and legal services have all been suggested by experts as factors behind the rise in reports of abuse in recent years.
“We’ve gone into areas where there are really limited domestic violence services. So,the first time,there are more services for women to come and access as well,” Baltins said.
Bridget said she has a new partner now,a new life.
“I wish I had gotten out and seen the red flags - I need to start putting myself first instead of letting people put me down,” she said.
“I know that I’m not on my own and there are support services and help out there for people.”
If you or anyone you know needs support,you can contact the National Sexual Assault,Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732),Lifeline 131 114,or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. The men’s referral service is on 1300 766 491.