Fiona Martin (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to bring attention to the issue of domestic and family violence. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one woman is killed every nine days and one man is killed every 29 days by a partner. Any person can experience domestic or intimate violence, regardless of gender, culture, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background. Of course some groups are more likely to be impacted: Aboriginal women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised from family violence and 11 times more likely to be killed as a result of a violent assault. When speaking of statistics, we must also acknowledge that men are more likely to commit acts of domestic violence that result in fatalities. The death of Hannah Clarke and her three young children in what appears to have been a murder-suicide once again forces us as a nation to consider our approach to addressing the tragedy that is domestic violence.

'Domestic violence' is a term which encompasses not only physical violence between members of a family unit but also sexual, verbal, psychological, financial and social abuse. Frequently, this is an attempt by a perpetrator to exercise control or domination of the victim. Murder is the most tragic consequence of the most serious cases of abuse. Many victims suffer silently through sustained and less obvious forms of abuse.

Over the past decade we have seen the government introduce frontline services like 1800RESPECT, improve the legal system and drive cultural change to stop attitudes of sexism or disrespect from escalating to violence. Likewise, the Morrison government's putting an additional $328 million into the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children has placed a sharper focus on prevention.

Drawing on my own background as a psychologist, I think a new approach that focuses on early intervention is necessary. Teaching young people about safe and healthy relationships and wellbeing and better mental health are also desperately needed.

Mental health issues are at the core of domestic violence. Children who have grown up experiencing or witnessing domestic violence have a higher risk of depression, anxiety, relationship issues and substance abuse. They are more likely to grow up to become victims or perpetrators of domestic violence in their adult years. Beneath the surface of violent behaviours lie specific psychological symptoms: poor coping skills, poor emotion regulation, poor distress tolerance, poor impulse control, a lack of empathy and so on. Early childhood trauma and poor coping mechanisms lead many to addictive behaviours, and substance abuse tends to coincide with domestic violence while masking underlying psychological issues. There are many examples where tackling substance abuse and addiction can significantly reduce violence.

We must recognise that young Australian men are the least likely to access mental health services and are more likely to exhibit poor mental health through behaviours such as aggression, substance abuse and risk taking. Historically, in our culture male aggression has been normalised, and many fail to recognise it as a symptom of poor emotional regulation. Many men are unaware that the symptoms and experiences they are having are psychological and linked to their mental health. For others, stigma makes it too difficult for them to seek help.

The Morrison government has invested record funding into mental health and, for the first time in our history, mental health is a significant policy priority. We have the opportunity to build an accessible mental health system that lays the foundation for addressing a wide range of issues across society, including domestic violence. It is possible for our nation to reduce our high rate of domestic violence if we consider the issue through multiple lenses. Our work to change attitudes of misogyny and sexism is important, but only part of the solution. We need to draw on mental health resources to prevent aggressive and violent behaviours from occurring.

I am certain that both sides of this House stand united on this issue, and I am certain that the Australian government will continue to look for ways to better address this issue, not only so we can respond to those impacted by domestic violence but so that we can prevent it from happening at all.

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