‘We want women to defend their rights in court:' Minister defends coercive control law plan
The newly minted minister tasked with addressing Western Australia's record rates of family and domestic violence believes the state is on track to improving women's lives, but has resisted giving a date for criminalising coercive control.
Responding to the 9 News Perth special series Turning Point: Lessons from Floreat, which highlighted the issue of family and domestic violence, Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Jessica Stojkovski said talking about these crimes shouldn't be taboo.
'There is a lot of work that is happening that is improving the lives of women. It's not a perfect solution, nothing is in a community, but I think the things that our government has been doing is implementing those incremental steps,' Stojkovski said.
'Every time we open up conversations, it's a good thing … it's a responsibility of everyone in our society to look after people.'
One woman in Australia loses her life to domestic violence every nine days, while Western Australia has the second-highest rate of the crime in the country.
In her first sit-down interview since taking on the portfolio, Stojkovski said the damning statistics were due to a number of factors.
'We have started these conversations and these conversations have led to more awareness about family and domestic violence, and awareness ultimately leads to more reports,' Stojkovski said.
On the opening episode of Turning Point, harrowing audio of a triple-zero call from a nine-year-old child to WA Police revealed the trauma of family and domestic violence.
'Hello, police emergency? Yes, my mum, my dad is beating my mum up … can you be quiet? My mum is hurt, please help … my dad hit my mum in the stomach or in the head.'
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