Police have arrested nearly 600 high-risk domestic violence offenders in NSW, following a four-day operation last week.
Operation Amarok V began on Wednesday last week, an intelligence-based policing strategy headed by the Domestic Violence High-Risk Offender Teams (DVHROT) in each region within the state.
Over the four days, police arrested 590 people deemed high-risk domestic violence offenders. Out of those arrested, 229 people were wanted by police for serious domestic violence offences.
By Saturday, the conclusion of Operation Amarok V, 1,183 charges were laid, 5,493 Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) were imposed and police undertook 131 Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) compliance searches.
Yasmin Catley, the NSW Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, said the success of the Operation sends a strong message to the state.
“Operation Amarok V is the largest ever crackdown on dangerous domestic and family violence offenders, with the ultimate goal being to safeguard the community and reduce the incidence of serious harm or death,” Minister Catley said.
“This operation is unique in that it involves police strategically targeting and apprehending high-risk domestic violence offenders by using criminal profiling to identify those individuals who have both the intent and the capability to commit serious offences.”
Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, the NSW Police Corporate Sponsor for Domestic and Family Violence, said the operation is a positive step forward in the state’s response to the epidemic of violence in the country.
“Operation Amarok V enables us to address domestic and family violence with the seriousness it warrants, akin to organised crime and homicide,” Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said.
“It’s about precision in targeting the most dangerous offenders; the ones who pose a significant threat to victims, to family members, to other members of the community.
“Operation Amarok V incorporates methods that enable us to find the individuals we need to target and to act swiftly and effectively in apprehending them before they have the chance to commit further serious harm.”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Personal Safety Survey (2021-2022) found one in four women in Australia experienced violence by an intimate partner or family member since the age of 15 years old.
Domestic violence has already killed eight women this year, according to Destroy the Joint’s Counting Dead Women. Last year, gender-based violence killed 63 women in Australia.
Last week, the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave a speech to officially launch Australia’s 2024 International Women’s Day celebrations. He said the epidemic of violence against women should be addressed by government policy and response, and is “not a problem that women should have to solve”.
“When women are seeking help, they should be heard and seen, believed, supported and empowered,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“While women are shaping these policies and driving these responses, ending this epidemic of violence has to involve men stepping up. Because violence against women is not a problem that women should have to solve.
“Men have to be prepared to take responsibility for our actions and our attitudes. To educate our sons, to talk to our mates, to drive real change in the culture of our sporting clubs, our faith and community groups and our workplaces, including this workplace right here.”