DOMESTIC violence will continue to increase unless police tackle the crime more seriously, according to a women’s rights group.And changes to the law are also needed to make the prosecution of offenders easier, according to Women’s Resource Centre executive director Penny Dill.

Ms Dill spoke out after Assistant Police Commissioner Carlton Adams this week claimed that officers could do little to prevent some violent crime because “they sometimes involve people in domestic issues”.

Yesterday Ms Dill hit back, saying that victims would be more willing to cooperate with police if their concerns were taken seriously.

“The problem we find from our clients is with the police response, which can be improved,” Ms Dill said.

“Very often the support from the police is not there when the victim reports, especially if they are not willing to press charges. In most cases these individuals are sent to us for a protection order and a statement by the police is not taken. Victims of violence will continue to be reluctant to press charges if they feel that their situation is not taken seriously.

“The other problem that the WRC deals with is the breaching of protection orders, which should result in the arrest of the offender. In some cases the person ‘disappears’ and the police can’t find them to arrest them, or the next shift is not given the information that the order has been breached and to look for the person. This places the person who

Continued on Page 3