About a quarter of the calls to Australia's national domestic violence counselling service are going unanswered, as counsellors battle to keep up with a growing number of cries for help. This comes as other state-based domestic violence lines are reporting a huge increase in calls.
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Last year, the federally funded 1800RESPECT responded to about 55,000 calls, providing professional advice to people who are or have been affected by sexual assault and domestic and family violence. But 18,000 calls went unanswered.
1800RESPECT spokeswoman Karen Willis said there had been an increase in calls each year since the service began in 2010, noting that as domestic violence has gained more public prominence in recent years, the calls have increased.
"We have never caught up," she said.
While Ms Willis noted that some people would call back if they didn't get through the first time, for others, "that's actually the last straw". She said an extra $2 million in federal funding would have enabled the service to hire enough counsellors to deal with last year's demand.
This comes as other domestic violence lines, whose representatives were in Canberra on Friday for an annual meeting, reported a spike in demand for their services.
Victoria's Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre has seen a 130 per cent increase in calls to its crisis line over the past two years. Queensland's DV Connect hotline has experienced a 35 per cent growth in calls since October, while calls to the New South Wales Domestic Violence Line grew by 6 per cent from 2013 to 2014.
Safe Steps chief executive Annette Gillespie said counsellors were not just seeing an increase in the volume of calls but an increase in the severity of cases. This includes women who report threats on their life, strangulation and sexual abuse.
Ms Gillespie added that the more public discussion there was about domestic violence, the more some men used violence.
"We're seeing when women are stronger and more independent and men feel less powerful and more vulnerable ... men will use greater violence to regain that control," she said.
DV Connect chief executive Diane Mangan said Queensland was similarly seeing an increase in the severity of abuse.
"We're quite concerned at the increasingly sadistic nature of the violence towards women and their children," she said.
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women Michaelia Cash said the demand on 1800RESPECT was an indication more victims were making the decision to reach out, "some of whom will be doing so for the first time".
"Australia is now having a sobering national conversation about domestic violence and it is encouraging that more victims or potential victims are seeking such assistance."
Greens spokeswoman for women senator Larissa Waters said the government could make sure that all calls were answered.
"It's a matter of priorities," she said.
"This year's budget needs to right the wrongs inflicted on women trying to escape domestic violence through the last budget."
NSW Domestic Violence Line 1800 656 463
Victoria's 24/7 Family Violence Response 1800 015 188
National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
