Woman Doused In Petrol By Her Partner Says Police Don’t Take Domestic Violence Seriously
“No woman, no victim should ever have to go to these lengths to seek justice."
A Queensland woman who almost met the same fate as Hannah Clarke and her children were horrifically burned alive, says she doesn’t believe police take such domestic violence cases seriously.
Dani* was at home when her former partner splashed petrol on her, held out a lighter, and threatened to burn the house down.
In that moment she thought she was going to die.
Instead, luckily, she made it to a police station. But once she got there she was told that police would not bring charges against her partner because there was “a low level of public interest,” as first reported by The Guardian.
When do we just acknowledge that the police aren’t capable of enforcing laws against domestic violence? We need that all-woman royal guard from Black Panther https://t.co/uzYrpJJTWk
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) February 23, 2020
“I had heard so many harrowing accounts from DV survivors and so many instances of the Queensland police failing to take DV victims seriously, failing to bring criminal charges to make perpetrators accountable, and failing to keep women and children safe that I felt I really had no choice but to carry on,” she said.
In 2017 Dani hired her own barrister and launched a private prosecution, an expensive process but one that allows victims to bring charges to court when police will not.
On January 31 her former partner pleaded guilty, four years after the incident, and only weeks before Hannah Clarke’s partner covered her and her children in petrol and set their car alight.
I’m pretty sure there is plenty of ‘public interest’ in the lack of police response to the plight of this woman.
— ?Riki Bowler??????? (@rikibowler) February 23, 2020
A court hearing last year heard that officers refused to cooperate with the case and declined to make written witness statements until Dani’s legal team complained directly to the police commissioner.
Dani’s partner, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 130 hours of community service and had no conviction recorded.
“The man was sentenced to 130 hours community service and had no conviction recorded”
Wait, what?
Is there some exculpatory evidence that shows this was a friendly splashing of petrol and imminent threat to murder her?— Thermite Banana (@ThermiteBanana) February 23, 2020
Dani says her story highlights how domestic violence victims can be failed when the victim and the offender give wildly different versions of events. When first investigating, police warned Dani she could be charged with assault for hitting her partner.
“I was scared for my safety. I hit him and ran, put the kitchen bench between us, and froze. I am half his size. The police frame it like it was a fair fight.”
Dani said her case showed that domestic violence was not taken seriously as other crimes, and she would lobby for a reform of police practices.
In response, Queensland Police Service told The Guardian they viewed domestic violence as an “insidious crime”.
“Police attended this incident shortly after it had occurred and action was taken that same day through the provisions of the Domestic and Family Violence Act,” the statement said.
“The QPS was aware of the allegations and circumstances and took appropriate action on the night to ensure the safety of the aggrieved whilst also ensuring the perpetrator was held to account for his actions.”
9.
9 too many.
RIPhttps://t.co/eFlGHD41Fe#CountingDeadWomen pic.twitter.com/VRMmoCG7np
— Destroy The Joint (@JointDestroyer) February 22, 2020
*Dani’s name has been changed to protect her identity. Read the full article at The Guardian.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.