ABSTRACT

Domestic violence (DV) is an issue of global concern, which has been subject to public health and criminal justice reforms for decades. Much attention has been paid to legal responses to DV, specifically the policing of this social issue. Police responses have frequently been scrutinised for not taking DV seriously, not placing sufficient emphasis on perpetrator accountability and not recognising and acknowledging victim survivor preferences sufficiently. The current study examines police responses to DV in an Australian jurisdiction that has been subject to substantial DV-focused policy and law reforms in recent years. Drawing on focus group data from 19 police officers and prosecutors, this article examines the factors that shape police decision making when responding to DV. Findings identify a shift towards more proactive and protective policing of DV, guided by a strong emphasis on operational policies and procedures, risk perceptions and aversity. Findings further reveal limited room for victim preferences in police responses to DV, highlighting the need for specialist DV units to provide holistic and nuanced responses to families affected by DV.

摘要

家庭暴力 (DV) 是一个全球关注的问题，几十年来一直受到公共卫生和刑事司法改革的影响。对 DV 的法律反应，特别是对这一社会问题的监管，已经得到了很多关注。警方的反应经常因为没有认真对待 DV、没有足够重视肇事者的责任以及没有充分认识和承认受害者幸存者的偏好而受到审查。当前的研究调查了澳大利亚管辖范围内警方对 DV 的反应，该管辖区近年来一直在进行以 DV 为重点的重大政策和法律改革。本文利用来自 19 名警察和检察官的焦点小组数据，研究了在应对 DV 时影响警察决策的因素。调查结果表明，在强调操作政策和程序、风险认知和厌恶情绪的指导下，DV 将转向更主动和保护性的警务。调查结果进一步揭示了警察对 DV 反应中受害者偏好的空间有限，突出了专业 DV 单位为受 DV 影响的家庭提供全面和细致入微的响应的必要性。