WARNING: ARTICLE CONTAINS DETAILS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSE
At the beginning of this year, the State Government expanded the Western Australian Respectful Relationships Teaching Support Program to students in Catholic and Independent schools around Western Australia, due to the alarming level of domestic violence cases in WA.
According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Family and Domestic Violence System Reform Plan, and the Australian Institute of Criminology, the number of family and domestic violence incidents WA Police attended has increased from 55,926 in 2021-22 to 58,994 in 2022-23.
Starick Services Op Shop. Photo: George Spence.
An estimated 305,400 women, equivalent to 30 per cent of women in WA, have experienced physical, emotional or economic abuse while living with a partner.
Respectful Relationships Education seeks to create and maintain a culture of respect within school communities as a whole. The program teaches students information, tools and strategies about creating a safe, non-violent environment.
The program aims to help educators and students identify what a domestic violence relationship looks like, and focus on preventing family and domestic violence before it starts.
WA government senior policy advisor Julie Armstrong says the program will seek to create a positive atmosphere, not only for students, but staff members in schools as well.
“Primarily aimed at giving staff the skills to teach what a healthy relationship looks like, so based on sort of mutual respect non-violence gender equality.”
Julie Armstrong
“Teaching gender equality from the start, it actually means that people can engage in healthy realtionships and treat women as their equals,” she says.
Ninety-one schools across the state have already implemented the program.
Yanchep Secondary College, John Butler College, Currumbine Primary School and Maida Vale Primary School are some of the schools who have commenced the Starick Services Program.
It will be the first time that non-government schools are able to apply and be part of the program.
Angel Hands is a WA service that deals with domestic violence victims. Co-founder John Burrell says it can be difficult for non-profit groups to reach out to the government for assistance within their organisations.
“When I go and hit them up about it (WA Government programs), they say we can’t do anything,” he says.
Mr Burrell says he has dealt with young women impacted by trauma and violence because of domestic violence relationships, and without government assistance it can make helping these victims difficult.
“You’ve got to reduce alcoholism in family home because children are suffering from that. You’ve got to in any way shape or form reduce domestic violence itself just generally as an issue.”
John Burrell
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, you can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or the organisation’s online chat support service.