Violence under scrutiny

POLICE officers, schools, community groups and Casey councillors met Narre Warren South MP Judith Graley last week to discuss ways of stamping out family violence in the City of Casey.
Ms Graley held the morning tea on Thursday, with the parliamentary secretary for justice, Brian Tee, outlining what new laws meant, and how they would help to tackle the issue of family violence.
“The prospect of violence anywhere, at any time, is unacceptable,” Ms Graley said.
“But the prospect of suffering violence at home, at the hands of your own family, is appalling and that’s why the Brumby Government has introduced the new Family Violence Protection Act to help combat the problem.”
Ms Graley said the new laws gave police greater powers to intervene in cases of family violence.
“Along with these changes to the law, the government has spent $75 million since 2005 to reform the family violence system,” she said.
The City of Casey has one of the highest rates of family violence in Victoria, and nationally it is the single biggest health impact on women between the ages of 15 and 44, Ms Graley said.
“This morning tea is not about condemning men, it’s about condemning violence,” she said.
“It is about having our whole community vigilant for the signs of violence, compassionate for the victims, and proactive in the struggle to end family violence.”
Anyone needing help to deal with family violence should call the Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service on 1800 015 188 or the Men’s Referral Service on 1800 065 973.