Domestic violence is at unprecedented levels despite hundreds of millions of dollars being spent.
The 12 Year National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children is nearing its end but it is unclear if the strategy is working.
The Auditor General, Grant Hehir states that the performance, monitoring, evaluation and reporting is not sufficient to provide assurance that governments are on track to achieve the National Plan`s overarching target outcomes.
For decades women have suffered in silence and when they do speak of the violence against them politicians like Pauline Hanson call them liars.
On average one woman a week is murdered at the hands of a violent partner, according to the data the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare relies on.
The ABS states that the number of women killed has remained consistent in recent years.
The evidence based responses to preventing harm and death to women and children are ignored by government.
The international researcher into domestic violence, Dr Cris Sullivan finds that specialist domestic violence refuges are the most effective way of supporting women and children.
The cost benefit ratio for a US DV refuge was estimated to be 4:6 i.e. for every $1 invested in a refuge at least $4.60 is saved in reduced suffering, healthcare and other costs of DV.
Millions of dollars are poured into perpetrator programs and available evidence shows a 90 per cent failure rate in changing violent and controlling behaviour.
Many women, as I write this, will be dead by the end of the year.
The network of refuges across NSW dismantled in 2014 by the current LNP must be restored and recurrently funded.
