Northern Grampians and Ararat authorities are cracking down on family violence, after latest crime statistics revealed record numbers in intervention order breaches.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The latest Crime Statistics Agency figures showed a total of 192 breaches of an intervention order in the Northern Grampians region for the year ending March 31, 2017- up from 150 the year before.
Ararat recorded an even bigger increase- 291 breaches, up from 161.
Acting Inspector Paul Bertoncello said police in the regions had focused on reacting proactively and positively to family violence.
“This has resulted in record numbers of breach of intervention order offences being laid,” he said.
The figure has been on the rise for both municipalities since 2013.
Up to 57 breaches of intervention orders were recorded in the Northern Grampians Shire for the year ending March 31, 2013- a 236 per cent jump to the latest figure.
In Ararat, the statistics showed 77 breaches for the year ending March 31, 2013- a 277 per cent rise to today’s tally.
“All the research shows that family violence continues to be under-reported,” Acting Inspector Bertoncello said.
“So any increase in family violence reports, and charges that flow from those reports, is like good cholesterol for the community.
“That’s why we’ve also seen such large increases in assault offences being initiated.”
Assaults in the Northern Grampians were up 28 per cent, while Ararat recorded a 17.5 per cent increase.
“These statistics appear when we’re out there responding proactively, so it is a measure of how well our members are doing their job,” Acting Inspector Bertoncello said.
Almost half of Victoria’s local government areas showed decreases in family violence incidents.
Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said for the first time in recent years, the state’s family incident rate was beginning to stabilise.
“In the last 12 months incidents increased by 0.1 per cent, compared to eight per cent the last year,” she said.