The Sydney Suburbs Where Domestic Violence Is Increasing

This week, a woman in Sydney became the 15th to be allegedly killed by her partner in Australia.  

Fifty-nine-year-old Lisa Fenwick was stabbed to death in the Mascot apartment she shared with her husband, Anthony Eriksen. The 61-year-old has been arrested and charged with murder.  

Lisa’s murder comes as Sydney has recorded increases in domestic violence assaults across multiple suburbs in the last five years.  

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Every time this happens, it feels like we have the same conversation: Are we doing enough? Why is this happening? Are we listening to the experts?  

In today’s episode of THIS ARVO IN SYDNEY, host Sacha Barbour Gatt reached out to Domestic Violence NSW CEO Delia Donovan to find out what’s behind the shocking numbers surrounding domestic violence, and what services and supports are available for both victims and perpetrators. 

According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), amongst all the suburbs in Sydney, domestic violence related assault rose the most in the Sutherland Shire, which recorded a 47.5% increase between 2018 and 2022.  

This was followed by a 40.2% increase in Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury, a 31.1% increase in the Inner West, a 14.3% increase in the South West and 13.3% increase in the Inner South West. 

Ms Donovan believes more education is needed along with specialised police and more funding for support services.  

I don’t think enough is being done,”

she said.

No, I don’t think we’re investing in the issue. I don’t think we’re investing in the solutions.” 

She thinks that society has placed a lot of blame on the victim-survivors, and the media needs to adjust their tendency to victim blame and its language when reporting domestic violence-related cases.

What they’ve worn, how they conducted themselves, were they out late at night? And we don’t often think about the fact that they were actually raped or they were murdered or they were hurt or they were harmed,”

Ms Donovan said.

Hosted by Sacha Barbour, This Arvo in Sydney is a 10 to 12 minute daily news podcast made just for Sydney! Listen now on the Listnr app.