FAMILY violence in Whittlesea is being fuelled by drug and alcohol abuse and financial strain from mortgage stress and gambling, according to police.
As part of a new police operation in Whittlesea, officers will carry out follow-up visits to victims within 48 hours of the first report of domestic violence to prevent further incidents.
Sergeant Brad Turney, of the Whittlesea family violence response unit, said studies had shown follow-up visits by police within the first 48 hours of the original domestic incident had a “lasting effect” on reducing repeat offences.
He said Operation 1-48 started last Tuesday to ensure victims knew police took their safety seriously.
“If they need help, they get it. We let them know people are interested in helping them,” he said.
Whittlesea had a number of factors that triggered family violence, including mortgage stress, newborn babies, gambling and alcohol, he said.
“There’s also the drug ice,” he said. “It is horrific because the first people they [the user] turn on is their family.
“Ice use far and away leads to the most serious incidents of physical violence between family members that we experience. It’s a stimulant and it’s easy to get.”
He said police wanted people to report “when a plate gets thrown at a wall” before it escalated to a “plate thrown at their head” or worse.
For serious first-time offences, police could issue offenders with an on-the-spot family violence safety notice, similar to an intervention order, he said. This protected victims because offenders had to leave the family home and not return until after a court hearing.
Police found offenders alternative accommodation.
