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| Victorian coroner calls out family violence failures after husband ambushes wife with hatchet | Victorian coroner calls out family violence failures after husband ambushes wife with hatchet |
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| ‘It is critical that specialist family violence services make contact and offer support to people who use violence in a timely manner,’ coroner says | ‘It is critical that specialist family violence services make contact and offer support to people who use violence in a timely manner,’ coroner says |
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| Family violence services are regularly failing to contact offenders who have been referred to them for support, a Victorian coroner investigating the death of a woman who was murdered by her estranged husband has found. | Family violence services are regularly failing to contact offenders who have been referred to them for support, a Victorian coroner investigating the death of a woman who was murdered by her estranged husband has found. |
| The coroner, John Cain, also found that more research should be done into “fixated threat” family violence murderers, given risk assessment tools used by police were largely inadequate in predicting homicides. | The coroner, John Cain, also found that more research should be done into “fixated threat” family violence murderers, given risk assessment tools used by police were largely inadequate in predicting homicides. |
| Cain released his findings into the death of a woman known as GVY on Monday. She was killed in December 2022 by her husband, MJN. The victim and attacker were not identified in the findings. | Cain released his findings into the death of a woman known as GVY on Monday. She was killed in December 2022 by her husband, MJN. The victim and attacker were not identified in the findings. |
| Cain found that MJN perpetrated family violence against GVY and their three children over the course of their more than two-decade relationship, including when she was pregnant. | Cain found that MJN perpetrated family violence against GVY and their three children over the course of their more than two-decade relationship, including when she was pregnant. |
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| He hit his wife and children, made threats to kill GVY, the children and family pets, displayed controlling behaviour, was financially abusive, made threats of suicide, repeatedly harassed her and expressed jealousy, and “gaslighted” his wife about an affair he had. | He hit his wife and children, made threats to kill GVY, the children and family pets, displayed controlling behaviour, was financially abusive, made threats of suicide, repeatedly harassed her and expressed jealousy, and “gaslighted” his wife about an affair he had. |
| GVY first reported his violence in 2013. The complaint was later withdrawn by GVY, and she had no further contact with police until August 2022. | GVY first reported his violence in 2013. The complaint was later withdrawn by GVY, and she had no further contact with police until August 2022. |
| On 24 August 2022, GVY spoke to Victoria police and reported MJN’s violence. He was out of the country at the time, but she had told him she planned to leave the relationship before he left. | On 24 August 2022, GVY spoke to Victoria police and reported MJN’s violence. He was out of the country at the time, but she had told him she planned to leave the relationship before he left. |
| Cain found she told police she was “really terrified that he might try to do something when [he] comes back to the country …[he] might try break into the house and put [her] in danger”. | Cain found she told police she was “really terrified that he might try to do something when [he] comes back to the country …[he] might try break into the house and put [her] in danger”. |
| Police applied for a family violence intervention order (FVIO) on her behalf, and she sought the support of family violence support services who assisted her to change the locks on her house, develop a safety plan, obtain a personal safety device and move his belongings out of the house and into a storage unit. | Police applied for a family violence intervention order (FVIO) on her behalf, and she sought the support of family violence support services who assisted her to change the locks on her house, develop a safety plan, obtain a personal safety device and move his belongings out of the house and into a storage unit. |
| MJN returned to Australia on 1 December 2022, and was served with the FVIO when he arrived at the airport. | MJN returned to Australia on 1 December 2022, and was served with the FVIO when he arrived at the airport. |
| Two days later, he ambushed his wife in the back yard of her home, striking her in the head with a hatchet and attacking his children when they tried to intervene. | Two days later, he ambushed his wife in the back yard of her home, striking her in the head with a hatchet and attacking his children when they tried to intervene. |
| Cain found that police and the family violence support services involved with GVY “undertook the steps available to them within the remit of their respective roles” but she continued to be at serious risk. | Cain found that police and the family violence support services involved with GVY “undertook the steps available to them within the remit of their respective roles” but she continued to be at serious risk. |
| Cain said the case appeared to show that offenders were not being held to account, despite the stated aims of the Victorian government. | Cain said the case appeared to show that offenders were not being held to account, despite the stated aims of the Victorian government. |
| Cain found that a referral made to a service provider in August 2022 for MJN had been unprocessed at the time of the murder, though noted that it was unlikely that contact between the provider and the man would have prevented the murder, given he was out of the country for most of this period. | Cain found that a referral made to a service provider in August 2022 for MJN had been unprocessed at the time of the murder, though noted that it was unlikely that contact between the provider and the man would have prevented the murder, given he was out of the country for most of this period. |
| But he noted that “the failure of family violence services to contact people who use family violence is a regular and consistent theme seen in many cases before the court”. | But he noted that “the failure of family violence services to contact people who use family violence is a regular and consistent theme seen in many cases before the court”. |
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| “In order to reduce the risk faced by victim-survivors, it is critical that specialist family violence services make contact and offer support to people who use violence in a timely manner.” | “In order to reduce the risk faced by victim-survivors, it is critical that specialist family violence services make contact and offer support to people who use violence in a timely manner.” |
| Cain recommended that Family Safety Victoria reviewed ways to stop such delays occurring. | Cain recommended that Family Safety Victoria reviewed ways to stop such delays occurring. |
| Guardian Australia reported in April that family violence risk assessment tools used by police varied across the country, but that many intimate partner murders were committed by offenders already known to the force. | Guardian Australia reported in April that family violence risk assessment tools used by police varied across the country, but that many intimate partner murders were committed by offenders already known to the force. |
| Cain said that research had found these tools were “largely inadequate” in predicting intimate partner homicide, but demonstrated capacity to predict further violence. | Cain said that research had found these tools were “largely inadequate” in predicting intimate partner homicide, but demonstrated capacity to predict further violence. |
| Cain recommended that Respect Victoria invest in researching possible interventions with the “fixated threat” cohort of intimate partner homicide offenders like MJN. | Cain recommended that Respect Victoria invest in researching possible interventions with the “fixated threat” cohort of intimate partner homicide offenders like MJN. |
| He said that two recommendations he made in June to the state government after investigating the death of Monique Lezcak, who was also killed by her ex-partner after she ended their relationship, were also relevant to the death of GVY. | He said that two recommendations he made in June to the state government after investigating the death of Monique Lezcak, who was also killed by her ex-partner after she ended their relationship, were also relevant to the death of GVY. |
| These recommendations were for a public campaign to better understand the risks posed by family violence perpetrators, and for a service designed to provide support to children bereaved by family violence homicide. | These recommendations were for a public campaign to better understand the risks posed by family violence perpetrators, and for a service designed to provide support to children bereaved by family violence homicide. |
| In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org | In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org |
| In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org | In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org |