A ground-breaking study has debunked the myth that parents kill their children in random acts of violence, shedding light on the alarming and persistent issue of filicide— the killing of one’s child.
This study, conducted by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network, underscores the need for a comprehensive societal response to protect the most vulnerable.
Filicide is the second most common type of domestic homicide in Australia, following deaths involving intimate partners. Despite a decline in other forms of domestic homicide, the filicide rate in Australia remains steady at approximately 20 cases per year. From July 2010 to June 2018, there were 113 filicide cases involving 138 child victims, with 76% of these cases occurring within a context of domestic and family violence.
The study also calls for greater recognition of surviving siblings as under-researched victim-survivors and advocates for community-wide education on the effects of family violence on children. Governments are urged to take urgent action to overhaul how they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The study underscores the need for a focus on regional and remote areas of Australia, where domestic and family violence is more frequent and severe. In these close-knit communities, accessing victim or perpetrator services discreetly can be challenging, and reporting violence may be uncomfortable or unsafe due to a lack of anonymity.
If you, or someone you know, are a close family member of a victim, please know that support is available. Each Australian state has its own scheme to assist victims. Here in Victoria, we offer our services to help you navigate the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) process to access the support available. It’s a free service for close family members of victims of filicide. Please don’t hesitate to reach out; the scheme is here to help you.
