How is the Government assisting women who have been the subject of domestic violence?
Mr BOB CARR: Domestic violence is a serious crime affecting one in four Australian women in long-term relationships, according to one assessment. Last year, 26,000 incidents of domestic assault were recorded in this State—three assaults every hour, and they are only the ones reported to the authorities. Research in the United Kingdom suggests that women are beaten on average 35 times before they call the police. That means our first priority must be to protect the victims from harm and look after them through the court process until justice is done. Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for North Shore to order. Mr BOB CARR: But there is another side to domestic violence: holding offenders accountable for their actions. Domestic violence is a crime but problems such as financial difficulties, drugs, alcohol and mental illness often play a part. They are not excuses, but they do need to be understood if perpetrators are to be helped to change their ways. Before the last electi
