Scope Of Domestic Violence Review Teams In Australia

Risk Factors identified by DVDRTs

Dsicuss about the Scope Of Domestic Violence Review Teams In Australia.

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Which risk factors do domestic violence death review teams identify?

This article explains the role of drugs in domestic violence deaths. DVDRTs in Australia state that drug abuse play a huge role in homicides. The teams explain that people who abuse drugs are more likely to be violent and engage in domestic violence than those who do not abuse drugs. The article supports the teams in many ways. Drugs usually impair people’s judgement and may cause them to do things they do not intend to (Banman, 2015). When a violent person uses drugs, they may kill their victim. Also, a victim of domestic violence assault may kill him or herself through toxifying their bodies with drugs due to stress and depression from the violence.

Women living in rural areas are also at a higher risk of domestic violence and related deaths. This because of the notions of gender roles and masculinity where by men are known to be in charge of women.

Should DVDRT’s include suicides which are thought to be related to domestic violence?

The aim of DVDRTs is to ensure domestic violence death cases are reported and handled effectively to prevent deaths. The team also reports about the deaths caused by domestic violence all over the nation. This article acknowledges that, while suicide is a particularly common outcome of DV, DVDRTs have focused almost solely on the examination of DV-related homicide not suicide. Bugeja et al. (2013) indicate that, in Australia, only the DVDRT in New South Wales sets out reviewing DV suicides as a core function of the team. While this article provides a very useful description of the various legislative frameworks, functions, and reporting mechanisms of the State-based DVDRTs in this country, it does not present any data or findings on the use or effectiveness of DVDRTs.  The article is helpful in answering the research question as it specifically addresses which jurisdictions include suicide under the purview of DVDRT’s and why.

What is the legal response by the government on reports by domestic violence review teams?

DVDRTs report that domestic violence is a major cause of deaths in Australia. The review teams report to NSW. The NSW is a department that reads the reports and findings on domestic violence deaths to the parliament so that the parliament can be able to pass favourable rules concerning domestic violence deaths. The Australian government has recently put in place measures to reduce domestic violence deaths. This is supported by Douglas et al. (2014) who state that the government and other non-government organizations have put in place measures to combat domestic violence and ensure zero related deaths.  Reports from DVRTs show that the rate of domestic violence deaths have reduced over the previous years. This contradicts with reports from the police which do not record reduction in cases of domestic violence deaths. Despite all, Australian government has an outlined future on dealing with domestic violence deaths hence this gives hope.

The role of Domestic Violence Death review teams

Which changes in gender are identified by DVDRTs to contribute to domestic violence?

DVDRTs associate changes in gender to domestic violence deaths. Women mature very fast and very young women engage in sexual relationships at an early age hence they become vulnerable to violence. Younger women are also more vulnerable to sexual violence especially in relationships (Fisher, 2013). This because they are less experienced and may end up dating older men subject them to sexual violence. They are also easily deceived due to less understanding and assumption of situations that may lead to rape. In some cases, men are believed to be masculine and powerful hence they are respected. Some of these men misuse the respect given to them and use it to subject women to domestic violence and related deaths. The team also reports about the deaths caused by domestic violence nationwide so as inform people on the extent of violence in the country and in most cases women were found to be victims.

What Group is Mostly Affected by Domestic Violence Deaths?

According to DVDRTs, domestic violence occurs across all social groups and ages but some groups of people are at a higher risk of domestic violence than others. This is supported by Fitz-Gibbon et al. (2016) who acknowledge that children, women, people with disabilities, people in rural areas and indigenous people have a higher risk of experiencing domestic violence. Indigenous groups in Australia experience more violence than any other non-indigenous people. Also the deaths due to violence are higher among indigenous communities. The violence is mainly family violence. These groups of people are vulnerable since they have less ability to protect themselves. Such as people with disabilities. Children and young women may have limited knowledge hence suffer in silence. Women in rural areas are also at a higher risk. This is because the women are far from support centres hence fail to seek help in case they experience domestic violence hence worsens.

Facts identified by Domestic Violence Review Teams on Domestic Violence. Which are the truths on domestic violence and related deaths?

DVDRCs identifies cases of domestic violence through medical screening and screening using questionnaires so as to get the truths on domestic violence deaths. The teams report that domestic violence that can lead to death is shown by verbal abuse, physical abuse sexual abuse, emotional abuse and other ways that an abuser can use to control a person in an undesirable way. The reports over the recent years show that women are more affected and are victims of domestic violence deaths than men. This fact is supported by Hanmer and Itzin in their article. The perpetrators to the violence cases are mainly males (Hanmer and Itzin, 2013). Although men can also be victims of domestic violence, women are mainly the victims in most cases this has made the violence to be viewed as a gender inequality issue. The team also reports about the deaths caused by domestic violence nationwide and most of the victims are women.

Legal response on reports by Domestic Violence Deaths Review Teams

What are the effects of domestic violence deaths?

According to DVDRTs, domestic violence deaths can cause learning difficulties and mental health issues in children. Children whose parents, siblings or friends died from domestic violence may have difficulties in learning. This is supported where by Howard et al. (2013) who state that children may be affected mentally from the incidence making them unable to easily grasp ideas in class. Such children may need to go to a special school whereby their learning curve can be slowly monitored.

Domestic violence deaths can also cause homelessness. Deaths of parents due to domestic violence can cause children to be homeless since their home has been destroyed and they have no responsible parent to take good care of them. They end up just living in the streets. The team also reports that the deaths caused by domestic violence can cause deterioration in the economy of the country due to death of reproductive people.

What future plans have been put in place to reduce domestic violence deaths?

DVDRTs help in finding issues that contribute to domestic violence and coming up with future prevention plans such as engagement of males since men are mainly the perpetrators in violence. This is supported in the article by Jewkes and others. Engaging men in the prevention measures will help to reduce the cases (Jewkes et al, 2016). The men can talk to other men who are violent and persuade them to treat their women and children with respect. The DVRTs also help in setting up perpetrator programs to prevent cases of domestic violence deaths. In this programs, the perpetrators are educated on how to be less violent and control their emotions when faced with a difficult situation. There are also safe at home programs where by the person causing violence in the home is send away from the home and the victim retains the accommodation and is provided with security every day.

What are the social issues that contribute to domestic violence?

DVDRTs identify that indigenous groups in Australia experience more violence than any other non-indigenous people. Also the deaths due to violence are higher among indigenous communities. The violence is mainly family violence. This is due to the fact that most indigenous communities have their norms and culture concerning violence. Laing and Humphreys (2013) acknowledges this fact and states that some indigenous people believe that exposing family violence is socially a shame and shows inability to maintain the family. Therefore, people continue suffering in silence as the cases continue increasing. Women living in rural areas are also at a higher risk of domestic violence and related deaths. This because of the notions of gender roles and masculinity where by men are known to be in charge of women. The women are also far from support centres hence fail to seek help in case they experience domestic violence hence they remain silent.

What are the statistics on women affected by domestic violence and related deaths?

The DVDRTs conducted a research among women aged between 18 years and 69 years. The results showed that in every four women, one of them had experienced a case of domestic violence.  Physical violence was the most common type of violence that women experienced followed by sexual violence whereby some said they had been forced to have sex, some partners attempted to force them to have sex and some women said they had been touched against their will. O’Brien et al. (2013) states that in every three young women, one reports a case of sexual violence from their boyfriends. Although men are also victims of domestic violence in some cases, women are the ones that are mostly the victims. According to DVDRTs, many women explained their childhood experiences with domestic violence and associated deaths and how it affected them. In every three women, one had experience sexual violence which was the most common.

List of References

Pilgrim, J.L., Gerostamoulos, D. and Drummer, O.H., 2014. “King hit” fatalities in Australia, 2000–2012: The role of alcohol and other drugs. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 135, pp.119-132.

Stanley, N. and Humphreys, C., 2014. Multi-agency risk assessment and management for children and families experiencing domestic violence. Children and youth services review, 47, pp.78-85.

Stubbs, J., 2016. Murder, manslaughter and domestic violence. Homicide, Gender and Responsibility: An International Perspective, 25, p.36.

Wilson, D., 2017. Indigenous Populations and the Domestic Violence Death Review Process. In Domestic Homicides and Death Reviews (pp. 287-316). Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Sapardanis, K.C., 2017. Domestic Homicide in the Youth Population.