Latest news with #familyviolence
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Texans taking S Jimmie Ward's status 'day by day'
July 23 - Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said the team is letting the legal process play out while staying in communication with the league about the status of safety Jimmie Ward, who was arrested last month on a felony assault family violence charge. Ward was in the building as the Texans reported to training camp, but Caserio said the veteran would not have been taking part in on-field drills anyway as he recovers from a foot injury that required season-ending surgery. Ward, 33, was arrested at his home in Magnolia, Texas, around 5:30 a.m. on June 12 and held on a third-degree felony charge. He was released on a $30,000 bond with his next court date scheduled for Aug. 13. He could be suspended by the league. "Working through that. Kind of let the legal process take care of itself," Caserio said Wednesday. "We have been in contact with the league. We will work with the league. We will be compliant on our end, do the best we can. "So I think it's day-to-day, but kind of let that process take care of itself. Whatever the outcome is we'll handle it accordingly." Ward recorded 48 tackles and two interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- in 10 games (all starts) last season. He has totaled 549 tackles, 10 interceptions -- three returned for a touchdown -- in 126 career games (99 starts) with the San Francisco 49ers (2014-22) and Texans. "It's unfortunate any time something like that happens and comes out in the news and that happens to one of your players," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "Jimmy is a guy that I've known the longest. Since I first started in the NFL I've worked with Jimmy. I know the type of guy he is, and we'll just let the legal situation play itself out." Ward was placed on the team's physically unable to perform list Wednesday along with several other players, including running back Joe Mixon, who has been sidelined this offseason by an ankle injury. "Not going to put any timetables on anything. We'll deal with it," Caserio said. "We have 90 players here. Some are able to practice and some aren't. At some point they will be able to practice. So as far as what it looks like once the regular season starts, probably a long way away from that." Mixon's absence will provide more reps to a running back depth chart that includes former Cleveland Brown Nick Chubb. "Any time a guy gets another opportunity another place, you're going to have a chip on your shoulder," Ryans said. "I think Nick has done it in the league for a long time. Happy to have him. Excited to see him just continue to gel with our guys. "It's just a matter of him continuing to gel with the guys in the locker room and do what he does: run the football, play football the way he plays football. It's impressive to watch." --Field Level Media
ABC News
14 hours ago
- ABC News
Concerns family intervention orders 'designed for adults' are being placed on young people
Luke and Claire never expected they would be fighting to remove an intervention order placed on their own child. Their names have been changed to protect the identity of their teenager, but they wanted to share their experience in the hope it would lead to change. After a move to regional Victoria, the couple became concerned about the behaviour of their child, which eventually led to a desperate call to authorities for help. "We were in crisis, needed the police to come to help settle the crisis situation down," Luke said. "Three police officers came fairly quickly, and I think the way they managed the situation was good," he said. It was what came next that shocked the family. An interim family violence intervention order was placed on their 15-year-old child, with the father, Luke, named as the person in need of protection. "They told us pretty clearly that there was no option … we took the advice we were given, even though we made it pretty clear we didn't want [the intervention order]. The family felt like they had lost one of their avenues for much-needed crisis support. "I just asked them, how does this help?" Luke said. Across Australia, each state has different family violence and restraining order laws, which makes it difficult to get a national picture of how many young people are being placed on these intervention orders. In a number of jurisdictions, data shows domestic violence orders are increasing, but it's not always clear how many young people this involves. However, a new report from Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) found in that state since 2018, there has been a 34 per cent increase in the number of children VLA has assisted with intervention order applications made against them. The Feeling Supported, Not Stuck report, reviewed 101 closed files and found 39 per cent of families did not support the family violence intervention order made against their child. The problem is that the intervention order system is designed for adults, said VLA's associate director child protection, Elicia Savvas. "Police can choose to make an [intervention order] application to the court, and that's frequently what's happening, and then ultimately it's up to a magistrate to make a decision," she said. "That system is just not appropriate for [young people]. They can't understand the order and often it's a matter of actually needing help to deal with whatever's driving that behaviour, and the court system can't do that." Advocates have warned Victoria's extremely robust family violence law might be penalising vulnerable children who need more social support. "In 2008, Victoria forged ahead with one of the most expansive definitions of family violence in Australia, and at the time that was seen as really groundbreaking because we're recognising the diversity of experiences of victims, survivors of family," said Elena Campbell, Associate Director at RMIT's Centre for Innovative Justice. Those laws mean no consent is required for police to file family safety intervention orders, but this approach, "suitable for adults," may have inadvertently created issues for children and families, she said. The authors of VLA's report believe there are nationwide lessons from their research. "The interventional system looks different in every state around Australia, but children and young people have similar experiences, particularly of violence or trauma across Australia," Ms Savvas said. The ABC reached out to Victoria Police for comment. The overall rise in VLA's child clients responding to intervention orders was partly driven by the increase in school-based disputes leading to court action. The report examined young people's experiences of not only family safety intervention orders, but also personal safety intervention orders. Eighty-one per cent of personal safety intervention order files at VLA were related to incidents between children in school. In Victoria, parents or members of the public can apply for personal safety intervention orders to be placed on children. Serena is a proud First Nations woman who had two of her teenage children placed on intervention orders over school-based incidents. "It was really stressful, not just for my kids but me too … it affected us in every way," she said. She said her daughter was being bullied and targeted at school, which ultimately led to a fight that resulted in intervention orders being filed against both her children. Serena felt more could have been done to remedy the situation. "They should have got together with both families, spoke about it and worked with both of us, to see how we could all fix this. "My daughter had to go in separate entrance from the other [child] at the school, they put my daughter in an upper year level where she didn't understand the work at all, so then she started failing subjects." Serena and her children attended court and were able to have the orders withdrawn. The VLA report included previously unpublished Crime Statistics Agency analysis of Victoria Police data, which showed an 8 per cent increase in intervention orders against 10 to 17-year-olds since 2018. It found a more significant increase in personal safety intervention orders, which rose by 28 per cent between 2018 and 2023. "Resolving conflicts between students at school is something that we acknowledge is really hard for schools to do," Ms Savvas said. Fifty per cent of intervention order applications were withdrawn or revoked once they reached the Victorian Children's Court in 2023-2024, the report found. "The decline in final orders suggests that police are making applications that may not be necessary or Magistrates are acknowledging that a final order will not address the needs of the parties," it said. Legal and community justice experts say reforms are needed to protect vulnerable children who need social support, not legal interventions. "There's no evidence that we can see to show that children are becoming more violent," Ms Savvas said. Ms Campbell, who advised both state and federal governments on domestic and family violence, said intervention orders were a blunt instrument. "Intervention orders are a very useful device or mechanism that we have in our legal toolkit, but in terms of using them in relation to young people, they're a very, very blunt instrument," she said. She is calling for a review and reform. "There's a huge and very urgent need for reform of the Family Violence Protection Act (Vic) as a whole wholesale review, and then to look at the Personal Safety Intervention Act (Vic) as well." Luke and Claire were able to support their child in court to have the intervention order dismissed but are still looking for extra support. "I think family counselling at that point in time was what we needed. Raising teenagers today is extremely difficult." The ABC reached out to Victoria's Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins for comment.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
'They have nowhere to go': The Australians at the centre of a housing 'emergency'
This article contains references to domestic and family violence. Women and girls are at the centre of a homelessness crisis which has reached "emergency proportions" across Australia, the country's peak body has warned. The number of women and girls seeking homelessness services each month increased by 14 per cent between May 2022 — when the Albanese government was first elected — and March this year, according to analysis by Homelessness Australia. The number of women and girls seeking assistance who were already homeless increased by 20 per cent — from 24,517 in May 2022 to 29,449 in March this year. "What that reveals is more women and girls are not getting the support they need to avoid homelessness," Kate Colvin, CEO of Homelessness Australia, told SBS News. "They're not getting early intervention, and they're coming to homeless services already having exhausted perhaps their friends, their family networks. "They have nowhere to go. And then, the reality is homeless services don't have the resources they need to provide safe accommodation for women and girls in that situation." The number of women and girls seeking support who were at risk of homelessness was also up 8 per cent. Overall, it said around 45 per cent of these women and girls have experienced domestic and family violence, referencing AIHW data. 'Emergency proportions' Colvin said homelessness across the country has reached "emergency proportions". "We have hundreds of people every day pushed out of the housing market into homelessness, and then not able to get back into housing," she said. "The situation just keeps getting worse and worse." The peak body attributes women and families being pushed further into crisis to rising rents, domestic violence and a lack of early intervention. Meanwhile, overwhelmed services are being forced to make difficult decisions around who to help and who to turn away. Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities Clare O'Neil said Australia is "confronting a housing crisis which has been building for 40 years". "It's affecting the lives of millions of Australians, and the most urgent and disturbing part of it is the rising homelessness all of us can see in our own communities," she said. Our staff are 'forced to triage' Frances Crimmins is the CEO of YWCA Canberra, a specialist women and children's homeless service provider. "Normally, what we find is that if they haven't already presented with domestic and family violence as the cause of their homelessness [we later learn after building trust] it has often formed part of the reason they have become homeless," Crimmins said. YWCA Canberra leases 60 properties from the ACT government, and has 19 of its own — some of which have been provided by the federal government specifically for women and children escaping domestic and family violence. They are all full. "The current level of demand just keeps on increasing, and so our staff are forced to triage," Crimmins said. Triaging refers to making decisions about which clients to prioritise in offering support. Supporting women and children escaping violence may include safety planning and preparing a vacant property. If there is no accommodation, it may involve safety planning to return to living with a perpetrator until housing becomes available. For some victim-survivors, a lack of housing options may lead them to stay in, or return to, a violent relationship. Source: AAP / Diego Fedele Family and domestic violence is the main reason women and children leave their homes, according to the AIHW. Many of them experience housing insecurity, and in some cases, homelessness. For some victim-survivors, a lack of housing options may lead them to stay in, or return to, a violent relationship. "That's a really sad fact … it can often be known that [a woman] might know the perpetrator's behaviour, and that can often be less risky than the unknown, which is sleeping rough or in a car with your children," Crimmins said. When it comes to transitioning clients out into the community, Crimmins said a lack of social and affordable housing has left them "stuck". "It's nearly impossible for us, currently, to transition women with three or more children," she said. "We are stuck. We know we have other women we need to accommodate, but we can't exit those women and children back into homelessness. That's what the staff are managing every day." Crimmins called for a "big uptick" in social housing to provide more exit pathways. "We need it urgently," she said. Calls for more social housing, a national plan O'Neil said the government has a particular focus on crisis housing. "We're making a record investment of over $1.2 billion in crisis housing and last term, we delivered a 45 per cent boost to rent assistance which helped a million Australians struggling to pay their rent," she said. She said the most important action for the Commonwealth is building more social and affordable homes. "We're delivering 55,000 new desperately needed social and affordable homes — 28,000 are under construction or planning right now. Every one of these homes will change the life of an Australian family." Colvin said the government's commitments are "certainly very welcome" after over a decade of underinvestment in social and affording housing. "The thing is they're not sufficient to catch up to where we need to be," she said. The latest annual report from the government's National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, released in May, said a "significant uplift" was needed to support Australians who depend on social and affordable housing. In 2021, this proportion of households was around 4 per cent. The report recommended governments and the private and not-for-profit sectors commit to restore the proportion of the housing stock over the medium term to 6 per cent. A long-term target should be as high as 10 per cent, it said. Homelessness Australia is also calling for an increase in social housing to 10 per cent of all dwellings — one of three "critical actions" included in its plan to address rising homelessness that was launched on Tuesday. The peak body is also calling for a national housing and homelessness plan to set reduction targets and guide major reforms, along with new investment in services in partnership with states and territories. The government is developing a housing and homelessness plan as part of its housing strategy, with consultation taking place in its first term. It's understood this work remains a priority. If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit In an emergency, call 000.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Corpus Christi police officer fatally shoots man while responding to assault call
A struggle between a Corpus Christi police officer and a man accused of family violence ended in the officer fatally shooting the man at a Southside residence on July 14. The shooting happened shortly before 6 p.m. as the officer was responding to a call of assault with a weapon at a home in the 7900 block of Elk Street, according to Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle. The call turned out to be a case of continued family violence, he said. When the officer arrived at the residence and met the man, a fight immediately began and spilled out into the front yard, Markle said. As they were fighting, the man got into a vehicle and tried to "back over the officer," who was in the door jamb trying to pull him out, Markle said. The officer then shot his gun at the man, he said. No other officers discharged their weapons. A news release written by senior officer Travis Pace said the officer attempted several times to use "non-lethal force," but the man continued to fight with the officer. After firing his weapon, the officer immediately began to administer first aid, Pace said. Medics took the suspect to a local hospital, where a justice of the peace pronounced him deceased. Police closed down both streets and cordoned off the area of the crime scene as they investigated. Pace confirmed that the victim of the family violence incident was unharmed. The officer who shot the man will be placed on administrative leave according to departmental policy as the investigation continues. More: Man arrested after exchanging fire with Corpus Christi police officer This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Corpus Christi police officer fatally shoots man after assault call
SBS Australia
5 days ago
- SBS Australia
The 'invisible victims' being left behind in Australia's domestic violence response
This article contains references to domestic and family violence and sexual assault. Sarah Williams's upbringing was marked by abuse and intergenerational trauma, having witnessed and experienced violence from the time she was a small child. She says her parents' relationship was physically abusive, and, although her father left when she was 12, her mother's next partner also became violent. These relationships were "normalised" in Williams's family, and for many years she did not understand what was happening. "I had no idea that what I was experiencing wasn't normal because I experienced households with yelling and hitting and throwing objects since I was very young," she says. "It took a lot of psychology and counselling to get to the point of realising that what happened was not okay, it was abuse." Sarah Williams believes children and young people are often forgotten in conversations about domestic violence. Source: Supplied When Williams was 17, she decided to seek help, but found it difficult to find services or information that supported young people. She believes support and education about domestic and family violence often focuses on older demographics, and describes children as the "forgotten" victims. "It's always talking about the mum and dad, or the two parents … it's not talking about how that child has experienced violence as well," she says. "They've witnessed it all and experienced it and are a victim within their own right." The 'forgotten, invisible' victims Chelsea Tobin is CEO of Safe Steps, a domestic and family violence crisis service centre. She says domestic violence can impact young people whether they experience it firsthand from a parent, from another young person, or witness it between adults in their family. "What I would say is young people in particular are the forgotten, invisible victims of family and domestic violence," Tobin says. We know when young people experience family and domestic violence and their trauma is not addressed, it becomes intergenerational trauma. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2021-22 Personal Safety survey, about 13 per cent of people witness partner violence towards a parent before the age of 15. Of the people who had experienced childhood physical abuse, the most common perpetrator was a family member. But the 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study, which surveyed 3,500 young people aged 16 to 24, found 39.6 per cent of respondents had been exposed to domestic violence before the age of 18. Tobin says it is difficult to quantify exact numbers because many young people are not accessing support through the current systems. Chelsea Tobin is CEO of Safe Steps, a 24/7 family violence response centre. Source: Supplied "They don't call us, they don't call anyone, because they see traditional services as irrelevant, unhelpful, or inaccessible," Tobin says. "What young people are telling us … is that it's really unclear where they can find services that support them, that are relevant to them … and they're just repeatedly falling through the cracks." 'Complicated for a young person to understand' Ruby Allen was eight years old when domestic and family violence became part of her life. She says her mother's partner gradually became more and more controlling, and eventually, the situation became violent. After living in fear for several years, Allen and her mother, along with her two sisters, were able to escape and start a new life. They were able to afford housing and food, but Allen says she struggled to access support or education about what was happening to her. During that time, Allen often turned to internet searches to find answers, but everything she found was targeted at adults. "Those big words, and complicated definitions … they were very complicated for a young person to understand and that kind of left me more confused than before," she says. "There isn't really anything that provides support to a young person in a youth-friendly way." Now 18, Allen has become an advocate and is working to improve resources for young people experiencing the kind of violence she and her sisters faced. Ruby Allen says domestic violence services do not adequately cater for children and young adults. Source: Supplied Allen shares Williams's view that young people are often left out or not adequately represented in public conversations or media coverage about domestic and family violence. "Occasionally [in media] you see a vision of a child on the side or something like that … but that is a shallow perception of what actually happens because it's so much deeper than that," she says. "It's not just witnessing or seeing something, it's feeling the effects of it as well." Youth-perpetrated domestic violence Pam Barker, CEO of Brisbane Youth Service, says people who witness or experience domestic and family violence at a young age are also more likely to use violence themselves. She says this is a complex facet of the domestic violence space that is not well understood. "They witness it or they're subjected themselves to the violence, and then what occurs is these young people learn how to solve problems and emotionally regulate through the use of physical violence or emotional violence," Barker says. These young people grow up and they have partners, and because of the nature of their upbringing and their current attachment styles, they then start to utilise violence as a way to address issues. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, young people who have experienced family violence are around nine times more likely to use violence than those who haven't experienced abuse. They are also 43 per cent more likely to experience partner violence as adults. Barker says there are many gaps in the system and public knowledge when it comes to domestic, family and sexual violence experienced and perpetrated by young people. Barker says early intervention and education can play a crucial role, and is calling for a youth-specific domestic and family violence response. "If we can decrease the number of young people using violence and becoming entrenched in those relationships … we are breaking the cycle and decreasing the adult quota," she says. "If we can decrease and divert these young people, we can change lives, and we can also change their children's lives because this is the beginning of the cycle." When it comes to support services, Tobin says children and young people are often treated as "extensions of their protective parent" rather than victim-survivors in their own right. She says this means their individual needs, risks, and trauma have traditionally not been addressed or treated. "I think young people have unique needs; they're in critical stages of cognitive, emotional and social development," Tobin says. "And that makes them particularly vulnerable to the effects of trauma, so we need tailored services that meet those unique needs." She says Australia needs a digital-first response designed for children and young people, with tailored support, education, and referral services. Lasting impacts and ongoing trauma Experiencing or witnessing domestic and family violence at a young age can have ripple effects throughout a person's life. Williams says this has been evident in her family, with both of her parents experiencing abuse in their lives, and later going on to perpetuate abusive behaviours. She no longer has contact with any of her biological family and has spent years in counselling trying to understand and work through her trauma. "I think because [it's] all I've ever known, it's affected absolutely every aspect of my life," she says. Looking back, I was definitely in survival mode, literally my whole life. Williams believes her childhood experiences have also impacted her relationships as a young adult. She says her first romantic relationship was violent, with her former partner abusing her physically, emotionally and financially. She says she was also sexually assaulted multiple times. "For the first 10 to 12 months, I thought that was completely normal and that is how you express love," she says. "Obviously, it felt bad; it hurt and broke me, but I thought that was something that happens because that's all I saw." While she is still working through the trauma and ongoing impacts of her experiences, Williams has also stepped into advocacy. She says she hopes her work can help improve education, awareness, and support for children and young people to recognise domestic and family violence. "The biggest part for me is not wanting anyone else to experience what I've experienced, and not wanting to redo those patterns. "If there are any other younger children out there, they can hopefully spot the signs before I did." If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit In an emergency, call 000.
