Inquiry launched into domestic, family, and sexual violence related suicide

A new inquiry has been launched into domestic, family, and sexual violence-related suicide in Australia.

It comes as Australia’s yearly report into the pervasive issue was tabled in Parliament on Thursday by Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek.

In her speech, Ms Plibersek described gender-based violence as “tragically common” and spoke about the need for a sharper focus by government.

The report showed “troubling patterns” of rising violence, including sexual assault reports to police and intimate partner homicides.

It revealed a “sudden and concerning” 35 per cent increase in the number of women killed by intimate partners in 2023–24, following a 31 per cent increase the previous year.

The number of intimate partner homicide incidents perpetrated against a male also increased from four to nine in the same period.

Sexual assaults recorded by police have increased by 10 per cent from 2023, with the victimisation rate hitting a 30 year high — rising from 136 to 147 victims per 100,000 persons.

Within those reports, there was a 16 per cent increase in domestic violence-related sexual assaults.

“We are under no illusion that there is always more to learn. There is always more to do,” Ms Plibersek said.

“That’s why today I’m announcing the launch of an inquiry into domestic, family, and sexual violence related suicide.

“Experts have told us that suicide risk for victims can be amplified through feelings of entrapment, fear of the perpetrator, and the cumulative effects of violence, both during and after a relationship.”

One in four women has experienced intimate partner violence since the age of 15, and one in five has experienced sexual violence.

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin said Australia had “both a grave responsibility and an opportunity — we must not waste”.

Her yearly report highlighted the need to prevent violence at childhood and growing urgency to address misogyny and radicalisation of men and boys.

It noted the importance of a nation and coordinated approach to engaging men and boys on “healthy masculinities” and to develop a targeted response to online harms.

Among key statistics presented, it revealed 93 per cent of all sexual assault offenders recorded to police in 2023–24 were male.

Ms Plibersek also spoke of the alarming threat the manosphere posed.

“There are enormous new and evolving challenges in our efforts to prevent domestic, family and sexual violence,” she said.

“From increasingly violent pornography — seen at ever younger ages, to nudifying apps and deep fakes that are traumatising young women and girls across our schools and communities.

“Or the manosphere, trying to convince boys and young men to dominate others, to control women, to feel ashamed of themselves if they don’t embrace this world view.”

Ms Plibersek also spoke about the increasingly sophisticated DV surveillance and harassment tactics men were using in the digital age to reach their victims and the role society needed to play to stop it.

“There’s a much greater understanding of the insidious ways that the men who use violence have to terrorise and abuse women — like making repeated online banking transactions to send thousands of abusive messages to ex partners,” she said.

Ms Cronin said while there were clearly areas what need further investment, the sector had seen a “dramatic increase in funding” but stressed the importance of “razor-sharp focus on coordinated, accountable and agile delivery”.

Ms Plibersek said while the Albanese Government was investing more than $4 billion since 2022, which was “more than any government ever before” she said there was still work to do.

The new inquiry will be undertaken by the Parliamentary committee on social policy and legal affairs chaired by the Boothby MP Louise Miller-Frost.

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