At least 71 children have died at the hands of a parent post-separation in Australia in the past 24 years, and an expert believes without real change there will be more.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When Hannah Clarke and her three children - Aayliah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3, were killed by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter last week, they became the 38th incident since 1996 where children were killed by their biological parent after the breakdown of a relationship.
Associate Professor at the University of South Australia Elspeth McInnes has been researching the number of incidents where children have been killed by a parent, and her research shows there have been 106 people, including adults, killed in such situations since 1996.
Associate Professor McInnes believes her research shows that the period where a relationship breaks down isn't only the most dangerous for the woman leaving the relationship, but also for her children.
"We know separation is the key point for escalation, as he loses control, he will increasingly seek to exercise different ways of control because they're moving out of traditional or known ways of control," she said.
"What happens in these cases is that children are an extension of control over the woman ... children become a tool of control and of course they're an instrument of revenge."
According to her research, 30 of the incidents have been at the hands of men and 8 at the hands of women,
Including the tragedy in Brisbane this year, 106 people have died in such incidents since 1996. The deaths are spread across 38 incidents - 30 at the hands of men and 8 at the hands of women. Seven of the incidents involved the deaths of other adults and just over half of the male perpetrators also suicided in the incidents.
Associate Professor McInnes says her research shows a huge overhaul of the family law system is needed, with child protection units needed to be embedded in family courts, that assess the risks to children and make orders on that basis.
In her submission to the family law inquiry, Associate Professor McInnes also calls for safety reviews after such decisions are made. She has also called for decisions made by the family court to prioritise the safety of children and adults over equal shared parenting responsibility.
- 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732
- Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
-Canberra Times
Have you signed up to The Courier's variety of news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in Ballarat.
