The extent of the domestic violence crisis in South Australia has been laid bare after findings of a landmark royal commission were released to the public.
The findings of the year-long Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence resulted in 136 recommendations on how to manage the crisis.
“The prevalence is still high. One in four women over the age of 15 in Australia have experienced some form of abuse,” Commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja said.
READ MORE: Tributes for ‘loving father’ killed in pub shooting as getaway car found
“It’s no less dire in our state, in fact, it’s almost one in three.”
Peter Malinauskas’ government immediately adopted seven of the recommendations put forth by the commission, including a ministerial portfolio for Domestic Family and Sexual Violence and a five-year statewide strategy.
“What they essentially do is seek to better position the government to better respond to the report in a formal way as is appropriate,” Malinauskas said.
The premier said the government was already looking closely at other recommendations, including a 24/7 hub for service delivery and liquor licensing reforms around alcohol delivery.
“One of the very practical recommendations the government wants to turn it’s mind to quickly that is the establishment of a 24/7 central point of engagement around service delivery,” Malinauskas said.
READ MORE: Josh moved to a tiny house to save money. Now he faces a $25K legal battle
Over the past 13 months, the commission has heard from thousands of people to inform the recommendations.
The lived experiences of victim-survivors have been compiled into a report that runs alongside the formal document.
“Some of the stories have been harrowing as you said premier, heartbreaking, and some will haunt me and my team forever,” Stott Despoja said.
Malinauskas said the government would aim to respond to all of the recommendations by the end of the year.
The statewide inquiry was triggered in 2023 after four women were killed across the state in just one week.
“It’s important to remember how we got here,” Malinauskas said.
“Whatever comes out of this royal commission, it won’t be enough to bring their loved ones back, but hopefully they can just take an ounce of comfort in the knowledge that everyone is going to do everything they can to try and prevent these deaths.”
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Help is available from the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.
National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline 1800 250 015
