STATISTICS show Beenleigh Magistrates Court at Logan is the second busiest for domestic violence in the state. It ranks just behind Southport on the Gold Coast.
The state government has released family and domestic violence statistics to bring the issue out of the shadows.
Last week, Queensland learned of the physical and psychological damage suffered by a young woman who was just 17 when her then boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her on fire at their Marsden home.
And a short film featuring Logan identities including former Bronco Corey Parker and Commonwealth Games boxer Clay Waterman landed on cinema screens. The group makes a DV prevention pledge: “Only we can change the story. It starts with us.”
THE CASE
KYESHA Finemore was just 17 when her boyfriend doused her in petrol and set her alight in May, 2016. She suffered burns to 21 per cent her body and lifelong scarring.
Brae Taylor Lewis, 19, was last week found guilty by a jury of one count of a malicious act intended to cause grievous bodily harm. He was still to be sentenced as the newspaper went to press.
In a victim’s impact statement submitted to Beenleigh District Court, Ms Finemore described how she felt self conscious of her scars and appearance, still went to counselling every fortnight and was petrified of putting petrol in her car: “I have difficulty sleeping (and) I have re-occurring nightmares. This will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
THE NUMBERS
MORE than 2020 domestic violence orders were initiated at Beenleigh Magistrates Court from July 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018. This was just behind Southport with 2437.
The good news was the number of orders initiated in both were down on the year before – 3.3 per cent at Beenleigh and 4.8 per cent on the Gold Coast.
Other top ranked districts were Brisbane (1562) Townsville (1549), Ipswich (1498) and Cairns (1.048).
A total of 25,747 DV orders were initiated in courts across Queensland with a further 8585 applications made to vary existing orders.
Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the government decided to publish statistics relating to family and domestic violence to bring the issue out of the shadows.
She also launched a website to provide regular updates on cases before Queensland courts, including the state’s specialist Domestic and Family Violence courts.
Ms D’Ath said the government’s raft of legal reforms to tackle the scourge ranged from introducing the new criminal offence of strangulation, increasing penalities for breaches of domestic violence orders, making domestic violence an aggravating factor in sentencing.
“We hope making this data available publicly will increase victims’ faith in the system, and reassure them that they will be taken seriously, and that offenders will be held to account,” Ms D’Ath said.
Family Violence Prevention Minister Di Farmer said the statistics were disturbing, but the fact so many people were coming forward was positive.
“By having an open conversation about these issues, those suffering in silence gain the confidence to seek help,” she said.
“This shows that by having an open conversation about these issues, those suffering in silence are gaining the confidence to seek help,” Ms Farmer said.
She said the Queensland government had invested $323 million over six years to implement every recommendation of the landmark Not Now, Not Ever report to tackle domestic violence head-on.
“We have more counselling services available for survivors and their children, high-risk teams being established across the state and we have funded seven new shelters – the first to be built by a Queensland Government in more than two decades.
The government has also appointed 24 new police to work with the families of domestic violence across the state – three in Logan.
“These figures show that there is a lot more to do, but we are more determined than ever that no Queenslander should be forced to live with violence in their homes.
“It shows that more and more victims are aware that what is happening to them is not okay, and that there are many services available to support them.”
Mrs D’Ath said the data, which will be available through the Courts website, is commonly requested information used by a wide range of stakeholders.
“We hope this will provide timely and accurate information to service providers, researchers and journalists.
“The Government is also using the data to continue to improve our response to this scourge and raise awareness within the community.”
Mrs D’Ath said that tackling domestic and family violence remained one of the government’s highest priorities.
“We will continue to deliver reforms and frontline services which hold perpetrators to account and importantly support victims and prioritise their safety, giving them the confidence to seek the assistance they need,” she said.
