A Conversation on Domestic Violence in the Toowoomba Region

A Conversation on Domestic Violence in the Toowoomba Region | Part 1

Transcript

Jag: Hello guys, we’re we’re here again today to talk a little bit more about domestic violence and I’m here with Rachelle Patterson from Lifeline uh Darling Downs who has given up some time to talk to us about it um so Rachel I would like to just ask you, um most of the community I I think its safe to say um is of the opinion that domestic violence is you know a man hitting a woman or physical violence or that that kind of things we see in movies and tv shows um what could what could you tell me about domestic violence

Rachelle: Ah look it’s so interesting because I think you’re exactly right, I think that that is still in this day and age what people think domestic and family violence is and I guess part of that is because the stories that you end up seeing and reading in the media are often once it has got to that extreme end so where someone’s life has been taken or whether they’ve become seriously injured in actual fact domestic and family violence is far more complex than that and it starts often far earlier than someone losing their life. What we see is domestic and family violence presents in the form of yes physical abuse but more likely at least initially and often only it presents as emotional abuse or it could be sexual abuse with intimate partner violence also financial control so it it does really present in many different ways and what we see most often and I think as we become more educated not only as service providers but as a community is we’re seeing coercive control is really the main way that we see domestic and family violence present itself in relationships um that is not just in a traditional male female heterosexual relationship but also in same sex relationships so we see those um same dynamics happen um in the same way and sometimes different ways

Jag: Yep and um if I might ask just a little bit about Lifeline Darling Downs, what is Lifeline Darling Downs doing in relation to domestic violence

Rachelle: Sure so, its interesting, we in Toowoomba are funded to deliver 15 or so programs, the majority of those are family programs and what we see most times is we’ll see a couple presenting because they have relationship issues, or we’ll see a mum or a dad bringing in one or two of the children because they’re having what they’re calling behavioural issues with their kids. What we have actually started to find and and I I guess it’s not the things that have changed its just what we have started recognising is what usually sits under those is domestic family violence it’s just that um mum may not have realised that when she first presented so we might have mum or dad presenting because they are having relationship issues what’s actually going on you generally find is there is some coercive control going on and there’s relationship issues that are happening because she is not doing what she is supposed to be doing um according to a perpetrator.

Jag: Well, I would like to say thank you Rach for your help today and for giving us this information and taking the time. It’s very insightful and I hope it helps other people as much as its helped me

Rachelle: Yeah thank you very much, I think the main thing is anyone that’s out there listening whether they’re directly impacted or whether someone they know is impacted really reach out. There is help there, there is people out there to hear and listen and support you.

Jag: Thank you