Massive economic cost of DV highlights funding shortfall

ℹ️ The coronial inquest into domestic violence against Indigenous women in the Northern Territory reconvened this week. The focus of the recent evidence before the inquest was about the economic cost of domestic violence.

📰 It was reported by The NT News that the inquest heard “the cost of domestic and family violence against women in the Territory could be consisting more than $600m annually…” ⚠️

These figures were reportedly based on modelling done by KPMG. An expert giving evidence before the inquest, Penny Drysdale, reportedly stated, “I think even that $600 million figure is probably very conservative, given that only particularly specific things were taken into account in the national research that was extrapolated for the territory context’.

🗣 Furthermore, it was reported that, “throughout the inquest, expert witnesses have flagged how chronic underfunding undermines crucial services in the prevention and response to domestic violence.”

💬 In the report, it was stated that Ms Drysdale’s evidence continued on to say how additional funding could assist (quoting the report) “address key needs including more men’s behaviour change programs, response models that provide an alternative to incarcerated, and an expansion of specialist domestic violence courts.”

🔗 To read The NT News coverage, visit ➡️ https://bit.ly/3QdisEu

Here at CAWLS, all members of our team are dedicated to assisting women and non-binary individuals of Central Australia and the Barkley region, who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence ⚖️

☎️Please do not hesitate to contact our team on free-call 1800 684 055 for a free & confidential appointment 👥