Latest news with #violenceprevention
ABC News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
NT government responds to landmark domestic violence inquest into killings of four Indigenous women
The Northern Territory government says more than two-thirds of recommendations from a landmark domestic violence inquest "are already in place" in the territory, with a minister saying the report has failed "dismally to hit the mark". WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names of Indigenous people who have died, used with the permission of their families. The Country Liberal Party handed down its response to NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's report in NT parliament on Tuesday, more than eight months after it was handed down. Judge Armitage made 35 recommendations, after spending more than a year investigating the domestic violence killings of four Aboriginal women — Kumarn Rubuntja, Kumanjayi Haywood, Ngeygo Ragurrk and Miss Yunupiŋu. They were among more than 80 Indigenous women killed in domestic violence attacks in the NT since the year 2000. The coroner's recommendations included calls for increased funding for frontline emergency service responses, women's shelters and men's behavioural change programs. In NT parliament on Tuesday, Prevention of Domestic Violence Minister Robyn Cahill said the government would support 21 of the recommendations in full and accept 11 in principle. The government did not support three of the recommendations: In handing down the government's response, Ms Cahill said "overall" the recommendations from the coroner were "uninspiring" and the report "failed so dismally to hit the mark". She said only a "small proportion" of the recommendations made would lead to the "implementation of a new and innovative approach". She also criticised Judge Armitage's approach to the inquest, calling it "protracted" and resulting in "lengthy reports delivered in a manner seeming to lack the humility one might expect from an officer of the court". "More focused on the reveal rather than the result," she said of Judge Armitage. When handing down her recommendations, Judge Armitage said she did not believe the 35 recommendations were "radical", saying the DFSV sector had been calling for them for many years. In a statement, Ms Cahill said "extensive consultation with government, non-government agencies, advocacy groups and experts found that 24 of the 35 recommendations related to programs or processes already in place". "Some of these measures have been in place for years without delivering the results we need," she said. Ms Cahill said the government was developing a DFSV roadmap to address domestic violence in the territory, which would set "strategic priorities" for the government's $36 million a year funding for the sector. In response to Ms Cahill's comments, opposition MLA Chansey Paech said it was "absolutely appalling" for the minister to "take aim at the Northern Territory coroner". "It was a long inquest, absolutely," he said. "It was four families, four unique circumstances that absolutely deserved the right to be comprehensively reviewed." Mr Paech said all 35 recommendations could "absolutely be accepted", despite government concerns over funding limitations. "The coroner designed all of these in a way that they could absolutely be supported," he said. In a joint statement, a coalition of NT DSFV services said the government's response was "underwhelming in the face of the Northern Territory's biggest criminal issue". "This is about more than programs. It's about a system that is currently failing women and children, and the urgent need to redesign it alongside the people who know what works," the statement said. "The government's ongoing lack of genuine consultation with the specialist DFSV sector is creating missed opportunities, poor coordination and unsafe outcomes." The NT has the highest rates of family and domestic violence in Australia, with a rate of intimate partner homicide seven times the national average. Recommendation 3: Amend the DFSV workforce plan to better engage Aboriginal workers, communities and universities. Recommendation 5: Create and implement an evidence-based strategy to reduce alcohol availability. Recommendation 6: Increase investment in specialist alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation services. Recommendation 7: Implement the police and children and families department co-responder model — which has been trialled in Alice Springs — on a permanent basis NT-wide. Recommendation 8: NT police to review protocols and improve officer training on information sharing. Recommendation 9: Consider establishing a multi-agency protection service to formalise partnership between police and government departments. Recommendation 10: NT police to embed interpreters and/or Aboriginal liaison officers in the emergency call centre. Recommendation 11: Provide PARt training to all current police officers, auxiliaries and new recruits, including emergency call centre workers. Recommendation 12: NT police to expand the DFSV command in Alice Springs and Darwin. Recommendation 13: Expand NT police's family harm coordination daily auditing program. Recommendation 14: Children and families department to audit and continue its commitment to the Safe and Together framework. Recommendation 15: Fund and implement "timely and intensive" early interventions for young people engaged in violence. Recommendation 16: Extra funding for community-based approaches to child welfare. Recommendation 17: Replicate the specialist DFSV court in Alice Springs in other regions. Recommendation 23: Increase funding for men's prison-based behaviour programs and counselling. Recommendation 24: Improve access to men's prison programs. Recommendation 25: Develop and implement a prison program for men who are 'deniers' of their violence. Recommendation 26: Establish reintegration programs for men leaving prison and returning to community. Recommendation 29: Boost funding for community-based behavioural change and prevention programs. Recommendation 33: Full implementation of the DFSV Action Plan 2, which will require $180 million funding over five years. Recommendation 34: Increase baseline funding for frontline DFSV crisis services by about 10 per cent. Recommendation 1: Establish a permanent, whole-of-government unit to lead DFSV policy and practice. Recommendation 4: Boost funding for Aboriginal interpreter services. Recommendation 18: Fund culturally-appropriate, trauma-informed, mediation/peacekeeping for family and community violence. Recommendation 19: Regulate and fund mediation and peacemaker groups as recognised alternative dispute resolution providers. Recommendation 20: Develop and fund alternatives to custody for DFSV perpetrators. Recommendation 21: Make the NT victims register an opt-out system, and consider how victims can be notified of the release of inmates. Recommendation 22: Embed the charter of victims' rights in NT law. Recommendation 27: NT Health to improve its DFSV screening and assessment of patients. Recommendation 28: Better support for Aboriginal liaison officers in hospitals and clinics. Recommendation 30: Invest in culturally-appropriate prevention and education programs in schools and on social media. Recommendation 31: Fund DFSV awareness training for clubs and pubs. Recommendation 2: Establish an NT peak body to represent the sector on a national level. Recommendation 32: Mandatory 12-month trial of banned drinker register scanners in licensed venues. Recommendation 35: Ensure funding agreements for frontline DFSV services include indexation increases.
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Vancouver parking enforcement to pilot body cams after 'surge' in assaults against officers
Social Sharing Fifteen parking enforcement officers in Vancouver will start wearing body cameras next month in response to what the city calls a "surge" in physical and verbal abuse from the public. The body cameras are a six-month pilot project that aims to deter violence. Om Mogerman, the associate director of parking operations with the City of Vancouver, said there was a physical assault on a parking officer once every two weeks in 2024. In a news release, the city said incidents continue to increase. "We see a myriad of different levels of violence and assault towards parking enforcement officers," Mogerman told CBC's On The Coast guest host Amy Bell. "The vast majority are verbal harassment, threats, bullying type behaviour, however, we do see physical violence towards our staff fairly regularly." It's gotten so bad, he said, they've started bringing in trauma counsellors once a week to meet with staff. City of Vancouver chief safety officer Magnus Enfeldt said the violence got to a point where the city had to do something to protect the parking officers. "No one likes to get a parking ticket, but everyone deserves the right to go to work and not be afraid of being assaulted while doing their job," he said. WATCH | City officials explain parking officer body camera program: City of Vancouver wants to give parking attendants bodycams 15 hours ago Starting in August, 15 parking attendants in Vancouver will be wearing body cameras as part of a pilot project. Om Mogerman, associate director of parking operations, said the City of Vancouver was seeing its parking enforcement officers facing physical assaults every two weeks. Magnus Enfeldt, the city's chief safety officer, said the footage from the cameras would only be stored in case a violent incident occurs, failing which it would be deleted in five days. The hope is that people will think twice before escalating during an interaction with a parking officer simply because the cameras exist. But if things do get to a point where an officer feels unsafe, they can turn their camera on. Enfeldt said each camera is activated when the parking officer goes out on shift and sits in buffering mode, recording on a continuous 30-second loop. If they feel their safety is at risk, they can activate the camera, let the person know they're doing so, and the camera will start recording. It will include the interaction from the previous 30 seconds that were captured on that continuous loop, to show what led to the officer activating the camera. The cameras do not have facial recognition capabilities, according to the city. If violence does occur, the parking officer would then call police to report it. If the police require the footage from the interaction for their investigation, the city will be able to provide it, Mogerman added. If recordings do not need to be investigated, they will be deleted within five days. After six months of testing, the city will re-evaluate to see if the cameras are a permanent measure that should be taken for all parking officers. While the project is primarily focused on physical safety, it's also about mental well-being for parking officers, Mogerman said. "When we said we were doing a pilot, we had to turn people down that wanted to be involved. The majority of our staff want to participate," he said.
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Staffordshire victim's dad calls for more action on knife crime
The father of a man who was stabbed to death while protecting his friends at a party has called for more action to be taken to fight knife Freckleton, 19, was killed when he tried to defend his friends from armed attackers at a house in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, in December men and a teenage girl were jailed in June 2023 over Mr Freckleton's killing, which happened just a day before his 20th to BBC Midlands Today, Rob Freckleton, Oliver's father, claimed knife crime in the country was getting worse and victims' parents were "really trying to make a difference" by raising awareness. "Education is the key and we need to start it at a young age," he said. "Get it on the national curriculum because it's just getting out of control."Mr Freckleton, from Burton, has also been fundraising and campaigning to install more bleed control kits in his local area. 'Amazing young man' Mr Freckleton recently took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing event, which provides opportunities for people with little or no boxing experience to get involved in fights."I wanted something to grab people's attention," he said. "A friend of mine had fought at Ultra White Collar Boxing so I thought I'd give that a go. It just snowballed from there."Mr Freckleton said the training was hard but the experience was "absolutely amazing", adding it helped to improve his confidence and mental raised about £5,000 at the event and the money went to charity Charlie's Promise, which was created in memory of stabbing victim Charlie said he would continue to do everything he could to raise awareness of knife crime in memory of his son."Oliver was an amazing young man – life and soul of the party," Mr Freckleton added."He would light up any room you walked into with his infectious giggle. What happened just broke us." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Alfie Lewis: Murdered boy's aunt urges action on knife crime
The aunt of a murdered schoolboy has said she is determined to stop other families experiencing the "indescribable" pain of losing someone to knife Lewis, 15, died in hospital after being stabbed in the heart and leg in Church Road, Horsforth, in November Shojaeifard, who was 14 when he killed Alfie, was detained for life with a minimum term of 13 years after being convicted of murder in aunt Mechelle Lewis was speaking at a consultation in Harehills as part of West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin's campaign to tackle serious violence. "Alfie was taken from us so cruelly and that we cannot change, but we can stand together, united with a voice and with conviction to make a change," Ms Lewis said."So, we are working alongside the mayor and community, with a call to do exactly that, make changes. Together and unified, we rise, reshape and rebuild."The new three R's for our education system."We will not allow Alfie's life to have been taken in vain." The event featured personal stories, workshops and discussions aimed at combating violence, with people invited to share their views, experiences, ideas and solutions to help shape a new strategy."I am just relieved we are finally at a point that we have a voice on a megaphone scale instead of whispering in the dark," Ms Lewis said many people were trying to get to the same point in tackling the issues but were doing so independently, when everyone needed to be "singing from the same hymn sheet"."I feel this platform is giving us an opportunity to do that."As part of this work, Ms Lewis is also collaborating with Leeds-based RedBobble to create Arts on Alfie: Forever 15 - a trauma-informed, multi-arts aims to reduce knife carrying and prevent youth knife crime through drama and art."It's verbatim, so you hear actual words you are kind of there, it takes you to the place," Ms Lewis said."If you are engaging with it and actually part of it, you can say 'OK, just pause for a moment' and say at this point 'what would you have chosen to do differently' and then the child can engage in that." 'Void will never be filled' Describing Alfie as a "beautiful boy", Ms Lewis said people needed to understand what happened to him could happen to any child."He was a child who would never have carried a weapon, so for him to be taken so tragically and so violently, it blows the mind."There is just not a big enough awareness out there and an understanding that it is prolific."We all need to know what our children are doing, what they are listening to and who they are interacting with."She said the work to tackle knife crime was in her view "Alfie's legacy" but said his death had left a "void that will never, ever be filled".Ms Lewis said moving forward she hoped the family and especially his mother would know that he had "not died in vain"."That we will make a difference to stop other families experiencing this, there's a depth of pain that's indescribable - until you live it you will not understand it," she said."So let's be unified with a vision for our youth to no longer carry knives, no longer feel they have a fear and they need to." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Forbes
20-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Five Key Public Health Solutions For Gun Violence Prevention
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 11: Erica Ford speaks during March for Our Lives 2022 on June 11, 2022 in ... More Washington, DC. Erica Ford is a gun violence prevention activist and founder of LIFE Camp, an organization committed to putting an end to gun violence in communities across the country. (Photo byfor March For Our Lives) Previous surgeon general Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on firearm violence in America, declaring it a public health crisis. This should come as no surprise, as there were 503 mass shootings in America in 2024, which is more than one a day according to Gun Violence Archive. I had the good fortune of moderating an expert panel discussion on gun violence prevention in Washington D.C. at the 2024 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. Here are five key solutions the panel came up with to help combat gun violence. Addressing Root Causes Of Violence Gun violence has so many root causes, but it often stems from social determinants such as poverty, unemployment and systemic inequities. Policymakers and government officials need to make education more accessible, expand job opportunities and allow housing to become affordable in order to mitigate conditions that foster violence. Dr. Zachary Meisel, Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania said, 'We need to really be thinking holistically, upstream about the root causes of violence, but also downstream about the interventions that actually can change the trajectory of firearm injuries.' Without addressing root causes of violence, long-term solutions and improvements can never be realized. Investing In Community-Based Interventions And Programs Gun violence is now the leading cause of death in young people in America, disproportionately affecting people of color particularly in urban areas. Community-based violent intervention programs can make a huge dent in preventing gun violence, as done in some big cities throughout the U.S. Such programs have resulted in a 63% decrease in gun shooting victimization in South Bronx and a 43% reduction in gun-related deaths in Richmond, California. The programs hire trained community members to mediate conflicts and prevent retaliatory violence, which can be instrumental in decreasing shootings. Investing in these programs can prove critical in preventing so many common tragedies attributable to firearms. Advocating For Legislative Reform Comprehensive background checks will always be a pillar for gun violence prevention. States that have laws that require in-person applications and fingerprinting before purchasing guns have decreased rates of homicides and suicides by firearms compared to states without such laws. Additionally, requiring licensing for firearm ownership including mandatory safety training, ensures that only responsible individuals can access guns. It can of course be difficult to pass legislation with respect to guns, given how starkly divided America stands with respect to the right to bear arms. Stefanie Feldman, previous Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention under President Biden, said, 'Really mobilizing people around specific issues and being willing to partner with people who you might agree on one piece of the puzzle with, even though they don't agree on the whole concept…Taking people wherever they are willing to partner on this issue moves the ball forward, and every life saved matters.' Expanding Mental Health Resources The effects of gun violence do not just affect those that die, but also the many more that survive, as well as the family and friends of those that survive. The mental trauma that results from these events can result in not only anxiety and depression, but also the constant fear that it could happen again. While the majority of people with mental health conditions are not violent, enhanced access to mental health services can play a critical role in reducing suicides by firearms, which account for the majority of gun deaths in the U.S. Strategies to expand mental health resources include increasing funding for mental health care, integrating mental health and violence screening into routine medical health visits and creating crisis intervention programs. Strengthening Research And Data Collection Science and public health rely on data and research. Innovation and change in science are driven by data that supports or refutes ideas and hypotheses. The data collected from this research can inform evidence-based policies and interventions to reduce and prevent gun violence. Gun violence can be entirely preventable, and many high-income countries have much lower rates of it compared to America. Although many Americans remain divided on the issue of firearm use, the vast majority want safe and secure communities. As Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, said, 'I've talked to some people that have very, very different politics than I do, and we are able to come to some agreement together…And you start there, and you build from that.'
