By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong has recorded a second consecutive annual drop in reported family violence, defying a massive statewide rise.
According to official crime statistics, reported incidents in Greater Dandenong dropped by 3 per cent per capita in the 2018-19 financial year.
The year before, the rate plunged by 5 per cent.
The apparent tail-off comes after three consecutive years of steep rises.
The sobering fact remains that there were 2391 reported incidents in the last 12-month recording period.
Nearly 200 a month, and more than six a day. And much more than the number of reported assaults (1725) and burglaries (1268) in the same period.
The Dandenong result is very much an outlier. Across Victoria, family violence continued to rise – up 8.6 per cent to 82,652 incidents.
Even in the Southern Metro region overall, reports were up 4.9 per cent.
Neighbouring council areas Monash (up 9 per cent), Kingston (7 per cent) and Cardinia Shire (18 per cent) were among the steepest increases.
Prevention of Family Violence Minister Gabrielle Williams described Dandenong’s result as a “small decrease” – and still up compared to five years ago.
At the same time, reports have increased in the rest of the state due to a “dedicated police focus and increased community awareness”.
Ms Williams, also the MP for Dandenong, said the state was implementing “world leading reform” after a Royal Commission into family violence.
“But the increased discussion about family violence means that more people are coming forward and talking about their experiences.”
Some of the reforms have included making it easier for victims to apply for family violence intervention orders and more support for them through the court process.
One factor may be the ‘fast track’ system pioneered at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court in late 2014 may be starting to make a difference.
The system, developed with Victoria Police, was designed to bring perpetrators to court faster, often via the police cells.
It was hoped that the ‘wake-up calls’ to offenders would reduce recidivism.
Thirty-three family violence specialist police have also been allocated to the Dandenong region.
