Jackie Blue MP
National Party Women's Affairs Spokeswoman

28 August 2007

Violence report highlights need for action

The Government must actually act on the report 'Living at the Cutting Edge - Women's Experiences of Protection Orders', says National's Women's Affairs spokeswoman Jackie Blue

"Alarm bells should have been ringing a long time ago."

The diverging trend of fewer protection orders in the face of climbing violence stats was evident from five years ago.

Last year my colleague Kate Wilkinson released data to this effect.

"But it has taken until mid-2007 to highlight the serious deficiencies in how women seeking protection orders are managed."

The co- author of the report Dr Robertson has stated that domestic violence is endemic in our society and that only 10% of cases are reported to the police.

"In the wake of violence screening beginning in our public hospitals and an anti-violence marketing campaign which will begin next month, the numbers of women reporting violence will increase.

"We need an assurance that proper preparatory work has been done by the Police, judiciary and other support agencies, so that they can cope with the likely influx.

"We owe it to the 212 women and children that have died needlessly as a result of violence in the last 12 years to get it right."

ENDS

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