Almost one in six women have experienced violence by an intimate partner and one in sixteen men have experienced the same, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The COVID -19 pandemic left many homes with changes and high levels of stress; in Australia, 46% of parents reported a negative impact on their mental health, while parent mental distress tripled from 8% before COVID‐19 to 24% during the pandemic.
Lifeline Australia reported its highest volume of calls in its 58‐year history in the first week of August 2021, while much of Australia was in lockdown
A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) of 15,000 women found increases of domestic violence experienced by Australian women during the first three months of the pandemic.
Links between natural disasters and domestic violence have been researched for years, a common reaction to grief, trauma and loss of financial security testing peoples coping skills. Recent cost of living inflation numbers of 5.1% is expected to only increased stress and disharmony between families.
Tamworth Family Support Services is a non-government community-based organisation that delivers services to families in the Tamworth region.
From January to March 2022, 1100 requests for assistance have been received in the Oxley Police District from the WDVCAS team, according to the TFSS.
A candlelit vigil will be held on Wednesday May 4th at Bicentennial Park to raise awareness and remember those who have been victim to domestic violence.
The event previously ran annually before the COVID -19 pandemic and will involve speeches, a wreath laying ceremony and the candlelight vigil.