Tasmania’s Sexual Assault Support Service has welcomed a promise of additional funding towards the state government’s Family Violence Action Plan.
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The service’s chief executive Jill Maxwell said sexual assaults in Tasmania accounted for 21 per cent of all serious crimes committed over the past year.
She said this had resulted in the same increase in demand for counselling and a 38 per cent increase in demand for the organisation’s crisis service.
“Despite the prevalence and seriousness of this crime, current approaches to addressing sexual violence in Tasmania are inconsistent and disjointed,” Ms Maxwell said.
The Liberals this week committed to provide an extra $1.5 million over two years to its $26 million domestic violence plan.
The funding will be directed to increased resources for the Safe at Home Co-ordination Unit and an additional Safe at Home police prosecutor as well as more staff to work extended hours for the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service.
Tasmania Police family violent statistics at the end of November 2017 was recorded to be 2221 incidents which was a 12 per cent increase on the 12 months before and a 14 per cent increase on the three-year average.
If re-elected, the Liberals want to introduce a new offence for persistent perpetrators of domestic violence.
Under the offence, a prosecutor would need to establish three unlawful acts occurred without a need to prove exact dates or circumstances. This would affect a perpetrator’s bail and parole chances.