ACT police are being called to reports of family violence on average nine times a day, and more than half of those breaking domestic violence and protection orders are getting off with a good behaviour order.
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The latest figures show that during the last financial year police attended 3309 family violence incidents in Canberra, a slight increase on the previous two years. While the number of reports has grown from 2820 in 2011-12, it is still below the most recent high of 3903 recorded in 2009-10.
The figures also show that a small number of offenders are responsible for a large proportion of the multiple breaches of domestic violence orders in Canberra. Last year 87 people were recorded as having one or more breaches of an order. Over the five years from 2009-2014 there were 143 offenders who breached protection orders two or more times.
"While these are concerning statistics, it is encouraging to note that reports to police have increased, showing that more people are willing to pick up the phone if they know someone who might be suffering," a police spokesman said.
Separate data from the ACT Magistrates Court shows that between mid-2012 and January this year 57 per cent of court order breaches resulted in a good behaviour order, while 18 per cent resulted in a prison sentence.
ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner John Hinchey said he was concerned that more than half of all offenders breaching orders were not getting more serious penalties.
"What's a concern to me is that the system is not very well geared to be targeting those who are a high risk. For some it's appropriate for a good behaviour order to be in place ... but we need to treat domestic violence in the context of a pattern of behaviour, not as a one-off."
Mr Hinchey said seemingly minor breaches of court orders were not always being viewed in the context of a wider pattern of intimidating victims, and improved data collection under a recently announced ACT government funding initiative should help track multiple offenders.
Heightened public awareness of domestic violence since the alleged murder of 28-year-old mother of three Tara Costigan last month has contributed to an increase in calls to crisis services.
More than 5000 Canberrans joined a walk to support Ms Costigan's family and to raise awareness of domestic violence on Sunday. Hers is one of three homicide investigations that have been launched in Canberra since the start of the year, stretching police resources.
Those deaths have reportedly led to an increasing number of victims calling ACT crisis services, but longer-term trends suggest the problem is growing out of proportion to other crime.
"In 2012-13 the Domestic Violence Crisis Service took close to 11,000 calls to its service. in the following year it took 15,500 calls, that is a significant percentage increase," Mr Hinchey said.
"Crime rates generally are falling across the nation, however what we're seeing is people are contacting systems in increasing numbers, and events like Tara Costigan's death drive home to women that they are in a risky situation if they have a perpetrator who is breaching orders and making threats while under the protection of an order."
He also encouraged victims to contact professional help before applying for violence or protection orders, because doing so in isolation could place women in particular at risk
"It worries me that women are going to court seeking a protection order as a stand-alone measure to protect their safety. They need to be viewing an order in the context of a wider safety plan, and talking to an expert in the field who can advise them of the steps they need to take, rather than just relying on the advice of friends and family, Mr Hinchey said.
