18 March 2025
Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), the peak body for specialist domestic and family violence services in the state, is frustrated to see that 45.9% of murders in NSW were domestic violence related in 2024, according to the latest report from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).
The latest quarterly report shows there were 85 murder victims recorded by NSW Police in 2024, the highest number in a calendar year since 2014.
Alarmingly, 1 in 4 DV-related murder victims in 2024 were children, up from 1 in 10 in 2023, pointing to an escalating crisis threatening a growing number of children and young people in NSW. Of the 13 children and young people murdered in 2024, 10 were DV-related.
Delia Donovan, CEO of DVNSW, says that report shows the grim reality the Peak’s almost 200-member base are facing daily. “These findings are sadly not surprising for us at DVNSW and for those working across the domestic, family and sexual violence sector. Each life lost represents a failure of our systems to protect and support those at risk. It’s completely unacceptable that we’re begging for a baseline funding increase when we are presented with these harrowing figures,” Ms Donovan said.
DVNSW is calling on the NSW Government for an immediate 50% ($163 million) increase in baseline funding to address the escalating domestic and family violence crisis. Despite these alarming statistics, NSW continues to have one of the lowest per-capita spends on domestic and family violence services in Australia.
DVNSW is asking the NSW government to move beyond last year’s Emergency Package if they’re serious about ending domestic and family violence.
Ending violence costs money but not investing costs lives.