DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REGISTER
The NSW Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Hon Pru Goward is one step closer to establishing a register listing personal details of individuals convicted of domestic violence. The public has been encouraged to provide feedback and there will also be consultation with legal, social and health experts to assist in the development of the proposed scheme. Rev. Fred Nile, the Leader of the Christian Democratic Party welcomed the initiative and has given his full support to the establishment of the domestic violence register.
“This is certainly a relief to many of the women and children who have been, or are currently victims of domestic violence. This year there have been 38 deaths due to domestic violence, the statistics are shocking. It’s crucial that this scheme and other measures to eradicate violence from our community, are fully supported and implemented as soon as possible”, stated Rev. Fred Nile.
Statistics reveal that one woman every three hours is hospitalised across the country due to domestic violence and 38 women have died as a result this year. Access Economics has estimated about 1.6 million women in Australia have experienced domestic violence and less than half of the abuse incidents are officially reported.
“It is crucial that we also protect the children who are exposed to and victims of domestic violence. Children are the innocent victims of assaults, trauma and abuse and our system must be strengthened to accommodate for their needs and safety. There has been research which shows that early intervention and talking to children about violent relationships will help prevent the scourge of domestic violence. I fully support teaching school children about the risks of domestic and relationship violence as part of the school curriculum. Providing children with the knowledge to identify the early signs of abuse and violence will empower them with priceless lifetime skills.
“Our society should stop giving a blind eye and have the courage to take action to support the victims of abuse, it could be a friend, family member, work colleague or neighbour. We all can help to eradicate domestic violence in our community. With the establishment of the violent offender register, our society will be rightfully aiming to strengthen the support and safety of the victims.
PAEDOPHILE REGISTER
“Whether the abuse is violent, mental, physical or sexual, it has been proven that convicted offenders are most likely to reoffend. Our system must assure to prioritise and protect the victims, children and the vulnerable. I urge the Government to extend the proposed violence offender register to include sexual assault offenders including convicted paedophiles. I believe that this is what the mums, dads and overall community wants. There have been too many victims and too many unfortunate incidents which could have been prevented. It’s time we prioritise the rights of the innocent over those of the offenders.” stated Rev. Fred Nile.
