By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
BY FEBRUARY a 16-year-old girl expects she’ll again be at the mercy of her violent, ice-addicted tormenter.
‘Nicole’ is supposed to be protected from the man by an intervention order when he’s released from juvenile detention.
But she says the order is just a piece of paper which has been breached by the man 140 times in two months this year.
In that time he threatened to kill the then-15-year-old, urged her to commit suicide and physically attacked her several times.
Police have told her Cardinia Shire mother ‘Annette’ that they can’t do anything against the boyfriend when he’s released from detention – not until he breaks the law again.
Nicole and her mum are armed with canisters of auto spray in their handbags, just in case.
The victim has lost friends, most of her family and her beloved pet cat.
She is too scared to go out to shopping centres in case she runs into the man’s friends.
“I don’t feel safe. He’s just going to rock up and he’s going to get me,” she said as her rising anger melts to tears.
“He’s got it in for me.”
Domestic Violence Victoria chief executive Fiona McCormack said that it was an indictment on society that a 15-year-old girl experiences such violence and terror.
“It’s just unacceptable. At 15, she should be having a carefree time and she should be safe.
“This is the experience of so many women who are dealing with these risks on their own.”
Ms McCormack said the state Royal Commission into domestic violence should focus on managing high-risk men, particularly those in custody.
“We need programs working with men to change and challenge their attitude and behaviour.
“When men are released from any kind of detention, we should be doing risk assessment around that.
“Otherwise they will be a risk not only to their victims but future victims.”
Nicole said that she had provided four or five statements to police by the time her attacker was remanded in custody and faced court.
That was after he smashed five windows at Nicole’s grandmother’s house and threatened to kill Nicole and her nan.
“We got a knock at the door at 9.30pm. At first I couldn’t see anyone then he comes running at the door.
“He says ‘you’re a f****** slut, I hope you die’. Then he punched through the window next to the front door and cut my face.”
A small shard remains in Nicole’s eye.
“He kept screaming at us. He started kicking in the lounge room window.”
While he waited at the front door and sent threatening messages, police were called.
They didn’t arrive for more than an hour, Nicole said.
“I could be dead right now.”
Nicole said she should have been kept in the loop and told when the man was placed in remand, what he was charged with, when he faced court and when he was due for release.
She was offered a place in a DHS young women’s support group but “they didn’t follow up with me”.
“They need to revolutionise the entire system.”
Things escalated quickly after the first assault in mid-July.
On that occasion, he apologised but couldn’t remember pushing her to the ground and punching property.
He told her he wouldn’t do it again.
Nicole got an intervention order in August after the man allegedly grabbed her phone, then her throat and threw her to the ground several times at a bus stop.
Several passers-by and a bus driver failed to intervene or even call police.
“He strangled me to the point I couldn’t breathe,” Nicole said.
“Ice made him more unpredictable. When he got angry on ice, he got doubly angry and just did stupid s*** over nothing.
“You try to overpower someone on ice.”
Out of countless attacks, there was one incident which she didn’t report to police.
That was when the ex stole her phone, grabbed her throat and locked her in a bathroom for several hours.
On that occasion, she punched his face a few times and he let go of her throat.
That felt good.
The mother Annette said she’d pleaded for DHS and police intervention in vain since her daughter “shacked up” with the man in January.
“There’s no one to help.
“No one cares about people’s feelings.”
If you need help, contact Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre on 1800 015 188 or via safesteps.org.au.
