WITH 10 years experience under her belt, Limestone Coast family violence intervention officer Jane Smith knows all too well the prevalence of domestic violence in Australia.
Based in Mount Gambier, Ms Smith has worked in close relationship with the Limestone Coast Domestic Violence Service for many years, witnessing many abuse cases in the region.
From controlling and verbally abusive situations to stalking, serious assaults and sexual assaults, victims of these crimes can be found far and wide.
Thankfully Ms Smith and her colleague Rachel Paton are passionate about their role in the region and work together each day to ensure domestic violence victims are protected and feel safe in their communities.
“We endeavour to contact people who have reported domestic abuse to police to check their safety, to provide advice and to assist them to identify local services that may provide them support,” Ms Smith said.
“We also work closely with other government and non-government services to support individuals or families experiencing domestic abuse.”
Seeing first hand how vicious and terrifying domestic violence can be, Ms Smith said she has developed ways to control her emotions in these situations.
“You develop resilience to be able to cope with handling things professionally,” she said.
“You build it up over time with lots of exposure to the complexities of a person’s situation who is exposed to domestic abuse.”
As in the rest of Australia, Ms Smith said domestic violence is not uncommon in the Limestone Coast, but fortunately there is ample support for those in need.
“The Limestone Coast has some very dedicated organisations committed to assisting individuals and families experiencing domestic abuse,” she said.
“We at the Limestone Coast Police are fortunate to have great connections with these services which can help to reduce the risk for individuals or families and help them find support.”
If you require assistance contact the Domestic Violence Gateway on 1800 800 098 or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
In an emergency dial 000.
