Across 2020 Beenleigh courthouse has had 831 domestic violence applications lodged, the highest number of any magistrate court in Queensland.
State government research also shows Beenleigh courthouse had 2,367 domestic violence lodgement applications across 2019.
Beenleigh courthouse also had the states highest count of contravene DVO charges lodged this year, with 942 charges.
These statistics can be accessed here and are as of November 19, 2020.
White Ribbon Australia has also released new statistics:
2 in 5 young men don’t think punching is domestic violence
42% of men aged 18-34 do not consider physical violence such as punching, hitting or restraining to be domestic violence
44% of men aged 18-34 do not consider non-consensual sexual activity as rape
In Australia, 1 in 3 females experience domestic violence during their life, while only 1 in 19 males experience domestic violence.
45 women in Australia have died from domestic violence so far this year and Carolyn Kinniburgh from Soroptimist International Beenleigh said this figure always rises over Christmas.
Soroptimist International is a worldwide organization for women, working through service projects to advance human rights and the status of women.
Ms Kinniburgh said these statistics are just the tipping edge of the extent of domestic violence in Australia.
Beenleigh Courthouse.
“It does not touch on the lives of children lost, injured, scared for their life, or who were so brave in saving their mothers life,” she said.
“Children don’t get a lot of help and they end up so scarred. If they grow up in a dv household they think that’s a normal way to treat people.
“We need to start teaching younger children in primary school how to identify what domestic violence and domestic abuse is, and what they can do and who they can talk to about it.”
Ms Kinniburgh said through her work with Soroptimist International at Beenleigh she has seen many women and children suffer at the hands of local men.
“Yes it can happen to men but through my work and what I’ve seen it’s usually a much softer form of abuse where they are able to escape without fearing for their lives,” she said.
“But if you look at the statistics it’s almost entirely women and children who suffer here.
“It happens everywhere. It’s especially bad here in Beenleigh and it’s not okay. We can’t just accept this. No woman or child deserves that.”
Ms Kinniburgh said she is unsure why domestic violence is so prominent in Beenleigh.
“I think maybe it’s because it’s a low socioeconomic area. But really I’m not sure why,” she said.
“What I do know is that domestic violence has always been an issue. It’s not getting worse, it’s just that women are finally realising they can stand up for themselves.
“As women we’re taught to be quiet. If we speak up or stand up for ourselves, even if we’re scared for our lives or our children’s lives, we’re hysterical or neurotic.
“There’s this ‘boys club’ attitude which means men aren’t held accountable for their actions. They will always stick by each other and don’t call each other out for how they’re treating women.
“Many men still don’t see women as their equals. If they did there wouldn’t be domestic violence, or sexual assault and rape, and this boys club attitude where men have to stick together no matter how they’re treating women.
“It might take hundreds of years to stop domestic violence, sexual assualt, rape, and unequal pay.
“But we need to start by educating our younger generation and teaching them we have to treat all people with respect no matter their gender, and to call out bad behaviour and not to accept it.”
If any local women are interested in joining the Beenleigh branch of Soroptimist International, to work on making a difference for women and children locally, then they should make contact though the Facebook page or by emailing sibeenleigh@siswp.org.
