Domestic Violence

One of our commonly held beliefs as Australians is that we are committed to the principles of FAIR GO. We hold that the values of equality, mutual respect, social equity, human rights, compassion, and egalitarianism, are deeply ingrained in our culture. We like to believe that we hold strongly to a set of what we see as such family values as trust, forgiveness, sharing, openness, and love. What a contradiction it was when a report published in November of last year recorded the fact that 1 in 5 Australians have experienced violence or abuse from their partners, with women twice as likely as men, to have suffered in this way.

Even more horrifying was that in that same month it was reported that 58 women in this country, had been killed because of domestic violence up to that date in 2023. And 2024 is looking no different. So, what is behind the fact that more than 4 million adults in this country, have experienced physical violence, and/or emotional or economic abuse from a partner who, during the relationship, presumably expressed love for the very person they have subsequently abused or violated?  Are these statistics, aberrations from the norms of our culture – exceptions resulting from unusual social and/or economic circumstances - or have we been kidding ourselves all along, about who we really are as a community? 

In this episode, Richard discusses these and related topics with Cathy Humphries who is among the most experienced and qualified people in Australia in this field. Cathy is Honorary Professor of Social Work at the University of Melbourne having recently retired from that institution with a truly outstanding record of research and engagement. Her deep commitment to researching issues of domestic violence - with a particular concern for children within this context - is matched by her insistence that her research has practical applications in the search for critically urgent improvements to these terrible situations.