Orange domestic violence numbers are up as AVO breaches become more common

Between April 2022 and March 2023, 415 Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) were issued in the city for domestic-related incidents, according to Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) figures released in June.

A little more than 70 per cent of those - 306 - were breached across that 12 month span. This figure places Orange as one of the worst offenders in the state, with the rate per 100,000 population (699.7) more than double the NSW average (269).

BOCSAR executive director Jackie Fitzgerald said despite an increase in police efforts to catch offenders, they continued to flout court orders.

"(AVO breaches) come to the attention of authorities usually because police are proactive and visiting at-risk families," she said.

"That's an indication that police are taking this issue very seriously."

In the 12 months leading up to March 2019, police across the state carried out roughly 40,000 AVO checks. In the year to March 2023, police did 140,000.

"Unfortunately there's not a great causal relationship between police activity and reduction in violence," Ms Fitzgerald added.

On average, Orange had a 22 per cent increase in AVOs breached each year over the past five years. That number rose to 29 per cent each year over the past 24 months.

It's not just the number of AVO breaches on the rise either.

In the year up to March 2023, there were 391 domestic violence related assaults recorded (894 per 100,000 people), a five-year high.

Ms Fitzgerald said there were two possibilities for the rise; either an increase in reporting, or an increase in the crimes themselves.

"I think we can be sure that there's not been a decrease in domestic violence despite the various efforts," she said.

"It's hard with domestic violence because there's not a lot of literature of effective programs that we know will reduce domestic violence."

Intimidation, stalking and harassment has nearly doubled in the past five years as well, with 521 reports recorded in the most recent 12 month span.

Ms Fitzgerald said this was indicative of the change in police practices in regards to how they treat domestic violence offences.

She noted the majority of those figures came from the harassment category, which could range from text messages, turning up at someone's house or making a verbal threat.

"There's a lot of things police are doing to come down hard on DV offenders, but we haven't seen a budge in those assault figures," she said.

"We certainly haven't seen a decline, despite this unquestionably huge policing effort to try and reduce domestic violence."

In comparison, there were 332 domestic violence related assaults recorded in Bathurst for the latest 12 month span (760.5 per 100,000 people), Dubbo at 649 (1169 per) and Blayney at 27 (359.6).

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