DV advocates call for action as under-18 violence increases

Advocates in Alice Springs say people are increasingly experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence from a younger age and it needs to be addressed.It comes after Northern Territory Police arrested a 16-year-old boy for punching, choking and pushing his 17-year-old partner to the ground in an Alice Springs shopping centre on Tuesday morning.Chay Brown says domestic violence is an issue across Australia. (ABC Alice Springs: Xavier Martin)Specialist domestic, family and sexual violence researcher Chay Brown said she was saddened, but not shocked by the incident."Domestic violence is a problem right the way across our nation," she said."We find it in all socio-economic class groups, we find it amongst all people of all cultures, of all creeds."This is an Australian problem and that's why it needs a coordinated national response to address it."Violence from a younger ageDr Brown said people were starting to use and experience violence from a younger age."That's partly because people are getting into relationships earlier, but it's also partly … symptomatic of domestic and family violence in the wider society," she said."There's a really strong correlation between people who experience violence as children, often through the family, and those who go on to use violence."We must intervene much, much, much earlier."Women's Safety Services of Central Australia chief executive Larissa Ellis said data showed girls under 18 years who experienced domestic, family and sexual violence were an emerging need in the NT, but society could not become complacent.She said there was no crisis accommodation specifically for girls under 18 in Alice Springs, yet domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory was three times the national average."In the Northern Territory, there is very little money spent on prevention or early intervention," she said."These girls, these women are members of our community, they are valued members of our community and we do need to respond to them."Larissa Ellis says there needs to be more specialist support services for girls under 18 years experiencing violence. (ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)Not impossible, but hard workMichael Liddle, an Alyawarre man who runs men's behaviour programs, said young men and boys were angry, which in part explained the increase of violence in younger cohorts."The distance between the haves and the have-nots is getting wider," he said."In that distance is alcohol, ice, jealousy, all the traits that make people angry, lack of employment, lack of education to understand what's happening to my body, to my mind.Michael Liddle says young men are angry, which is contributing to increasing violence. (ABC News: Xavier Martin)"Now whether they be against a partner or whether they be against a friend, they're getting more violent and people are seeing it more often."Mr Liddle said he and others continued to adapt their approach to meet the changing face of domestic, family and sexual violence."It's not impossible, but it's hard work," he said.