It is the pickup Monday afternoon with Britt, Laura and Mitch. Rush into Chemists Warehouse right now to get half price off for Go Healthy Vitamin range. It excludes bolk sizes at Chemists Warehouse. You'll get great savings every day now. Something that the three of us were chatting about on our way here of the weekend was the New South Wales Police domestic violence blitz that occurred over the weekend.
It's been operating for the last couple of days, but there were almost six hundred domestic violence offenders arrested in New South Wales.
Isn't it crazy?
Yeah?
Six hundred people.
Yeah, Operation Emmerock. So it's over now. But overall there was over one thousand charges.
Laid some really alarming statistics. It's incredible that this has happened and that there has been this blitz. But for those of you who don't know, one in four women will experience intimate partner violence and one woman per week is murdered within Australia because of domestic violence and that
is absolutely harrowing. But it also makes you question why is there a blitz that happens and it's not something that is more like managed as these cases are rising, why do they wait to do a six hundred, one thousand people blitz.
Should be on the issue.
Yeah, well, we have Nicole Edwards on the line.
She's the CEO of domestic violence charity called Rise Up.
Nicole, thanks for jumping on today.
Hello, Hello, Thank you very much for having me. Why are we seeing a blitz like this happen in the way it has. You know, there's obviously a lot that always goes on behind the scenes. And what's really important that we must keep our eyes on here is that these arrests are sending a really important message that violence against women will not be tolerated in our society. I think for far too long we haven't been seeing those messages. So I want to applaud this blitz and it's excellent.
You know, when we're looking at six hundred domestic and family violence offenders in the big scheme of things, you mentioned those statistics which are absolutely harrowing. It is a start these very very violent offenders. And what we also mustn't forget here is that where you have very violent offenders, you do have really vulnerable women and children in the
mix here. And you know, we are seeing a bit of a shifting focus on that high risk team model to more of a high risk offender unit, and this is really an excellent mechanism to making sure that we're keeping the spotlight on offenders. We want to make sure that these offenders are locked away.
How underreported is domestic violence within Australia.
In Queensland there are over one hundred thousand recorded incidents
of domestic and family violence. That's Queensland, right, So you know, when you're looking at that amount, it's still better than nothing, right, So I want to absolutely commend that, But I also want to say, you know, when we're looking at offenders like this, the six hundred offenders in the work that we do, and we're working really closely with high risk services, what we hear a lot of is that there is a recorded history and a pattern of behavior by these
violent offenders and they are having multiple victims as well, okay, over the years, and so we often hear that when I'm working with high risk teams, you know, they talk about the fact that gosh, you know, they'll be working with a woman and they've worked with you know, several previous partners of this same individual. But because of privacy.
Obviously you can't disclose that. So you know, it's really important as well that we're keeping our eyes on what's happening here because I think you know, in the in the vast ocean, there are incredible men in our society. And what we do want to talk to here is making sure that what role do we all play, Let's not put all the emphasis on police and law. What role do we all play as society members in driving an end to domestic and family's isoland What can.
We do to help our loved ones in these sort of situation.
Yea, there's a lot of things that you can do. First and foremost, what's really important is that you believe them. Yeah yeah, you also don't walk away, so you make sure that you make it commitment there to stand side by side no matter what's happening. What we have to remember is that women are the very best at keeping themselves safe. We never want to replicate perpetrator behavior by telling them what they need to be doing, or how they need to be doing or when they need to
be doing it. Okay, so we're standing in this space of non judgment and just being super supportive because what perpetrators tend to do and PUVS persons using violence is they really try and socially isolate their victims. So we want to commit that we won't be you know, we won't allow that to happen. So we're going to stay in the scene, stay in the picture, keeping eyes on this family. There are so many incredible services out there people who might be listening to this today and this
might be something that they are experiencing. I really want to say that you're not alone. There are incredible services here to support you, and this doesn't have to be how your story ends. You know. The other thing is what's really important is to make sure that you know calling out sexist behavior and challenging behaviors that you're an attitude call them out, especially the incredible men listening here today.
You know, it's really important. If you don't want to challenge it there on the spot, make sure that you walk away and you make sure that your absence is felt.
Yeah, as you know, a man listening to this show, there are moments where you feel you should say something and you don't, And I've been in this situation. Then you go home and you go, I wish I had said something.
I so much for all the amazing work you're doing, and thank you for jumping on today. You really are doing incredible things as a community.
Appreciate you.
Thank you for us spreading awareness.
Anytime of course listen. If you're experiencing domestic and family violence, you can find info about support services by contacting one hundred respect that's one at hundred seven three seven seven three too. I think just confiding in a friend too. Sometimes the numbers can be scary, right.
One person even, and just let one person know and go from there
All right, Well back after this on the pickup