Domestic violence order breaches soaring, but thugs free to roam with no GPS trackers fitted

WA’s domestic violence crisis continues to escalate, with orders designed to protect families breached every 44 minutes in 2024. And despite the soaring breaches, the State Government’s much-touted GPS tracking laws — passed by the parliament almost two months ago — are yet to be implemented. Breaches are on track to hit almost 12,000 by the end of the year, up from last year’s record of 10,300. This year, 9699 family violence restraining orders (FVRO) have been breached — one every 44 minutes on average. With two months left in the year, it is already the second-highest number of breaches ever. Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing chief executive Alison Evans said the data was “terrifying”. “We know this is only the tip of the iceberg — many women do not report abuse to the police. We also know that responses vary when physical violence is not immediately present — like in cases of coercive control,” she said. “In order to be fitted with a GPS tracker, men using violence must fit very specific criteria around high-risk perpetrators. “This means that men who are using coercive controlling behaviours, stalking, monitoring and terrifying their partners and ex-partners, are not always captured — a scary reality.” Under the new laws, people subject to a FVRO — and subsequently accused or convicted of another violent crime against a partner — will be automatically fitted with a tracking device. The devices will also be issued to serial offenders who are accused or convicted of a family domestic violence offence and to prisoners released on parole or a post-sentence order for an FDV offence. During the introduction of the laws earlier this year, Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton said the Government believed at least 550 offenders would be tracked under the laws. The laws were first announced in October by the State Government after a campaign by The West Australian for 600 dangerous criminals, including FDV offenders, to be fitted with GPS devices, in the wake of a series of horrific domestic violence murders. That included the murder of Georgia Lyall by ex-partner Luke Noormets, who had been released on parole just over a year before he fatally shot her. Liberal leader Libby Mettam said 12 women had been killed in WA since the laws were promised more than a year ago. “WA is the most dangerous State to be a woman, there is no justification for these delays,” she said. “Roger Cook dragging his feet, again, is unnecessarily putting women at risk because his government can’t be bothered with basic administration. “WA Police and our courts need to be given all the tools available to them to help tackle the family and domestic violence crisis gripping WA.” On Sunday, Mr Cook said tackling the rates of family and domestic violence was an “incredibly huge challenge”. “The biggest, worst part about it is that it’s so pervasive and large that it’s cultural,” he said. “You’ve got to shift culture to stop this scourge on on society, and it’s not something that we can just pass a law and implement a police response or carry out a different action, and expect it’s going to turn around. “It’s going to take time, and it’s going to take the whole of society to change behaviour.” 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732