Crime statistics released today by the independent Crime Statistics Agency have revealed an unexpected 6 per cent rise in offences has driving crime to an all-time high as Victorians struggle through Daniel Andrews’ lockdown.
Today’s data, for the year ending June 2020, has confirmed concerning increases in domestic violence, with these offences reaching an all-time high of 103,475 and now accounting for almost 1 in 5 crimes committed in Victoria.
Most concerning, assaults and related offences have reached a record high of 45,711, of which over 52 per cent or 23,995 are related to family violence.
It has also been revealed that those local government areas hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are now experiencing significant spikes in domestic violence incidents, including Casey up 8.4 per cent, Hume up 10.5 per cent, Whittlesea up 6.1 per cent.
Despite this increase in domestic violence offences, there are still community concerns that reporting of domestic violence remains subdued due to the inability of victims to safely report incidents and confusion over whether they can lawfully flee domestic violence circumstance.
Additionally, a number of trends in high impact, high harm offending have emerged over the past year, including:
- Breach Family Violence Orders up 9.7 per cent
- Aggravated Robbery up 13.9 per cent
- Residential Aggravated Burglary (home invasions) up 23.2 per cent
- Theft up 7.8 per cent
- Drug use and possession up 15.6 per cent
- Steal from motor vehicle up 11.9 per cent
These increasing high impact offences will only get worse with Victoria set to experience a prolonged economic downturn and increased unemployment.
It is now clear that Daniel Andrews’ prolonged lockdown and the economic fallout of his botched COVID-19 response is having a detrimental impact on the safety of Victorians across the state.
Victorians have no confidence in the Andrews Labor Government’s ability to keep communities safe.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Police & Community Safety, David Southwick:
“Daniel Andrews has failed to protect Victoria’s most vulnerable during COVID-19, who are now bearing the brunt of Victoria’s economic, health and now a community safety fallout.
“The unexpected spike in high impact, high harm crimes across Victoria should be a wakeup call and a sign of more to come as the economic fallout of Daniel Andrews’ botched COVID-19 response continues.
“Tragically, Daniel Andrews’ prolonged lockdown has seen increasing levels of domestic violence across the state, yet we see no plan to address this spike and to keep vulnerable members of our community safe.”
