Silent Crises: Unveiling Family Violence in Victoria’s Communities

Emmanuel Pravin Raj (s4086823)

2025-06-11

Why This Topic Matters

Family violence is more than a criminal statistic — it’s a persistent social crisis affecting thousands of lives across Victoria.

Victoria consistently reports high numbers of such incidents, making it a key concern for policymakers. Through this project, we aim to uncover hidden trends and highlight where support is needed most.

Understanding Family Violence in Victoria

The Hidden Impact on Children

Each year, Victoria reports thousands of family violence incidents where children are recorded as present. While the numbers fluctuate slightly, the trend is clear — many children are living through traumatic household environments.

In 2024 alone, over 500 incidents involved a child being recorded as present. This isn’t just a statistic — it reflects growing risks to child wellbeing, emotional health, and future safety outcomes.

This pattern shows that family violence is not limited to adult victims — children are silent witnesses, and often secondary victims, of this crisis.

Regional Distribution of Family Violence (2024)

Understanding Regional Disparities in Family Violence (2024)

Victoria’s family violence burden is not evenly spread — the data shows significant regional variation. In 2024:

  • North West Metro emerged as the most affected region, with over 30,000 reported incidents, highlighting intense urban pressures and possibly higher reporting rates.
  • Eastern and Southern Metro also reported high volumes, pointing to widespread challenges across Melbourne’s expanding suburbs.
  • Meanwhile, Western region, though still impacted, had slightly lower numbers — suggesting either fewer incidents or differences in reporting, awareness, or policing strategies.

These patterns underline the need for localised policy responses — what works in the north-west may not suit the west or outer-east. Tailored services, community outreach, and region-specific prevention strategies could better serve each area’s needs.

Top 8 LGAs with Highest Reported Family Violence Incidents (2024)

LGA-Level Hotspots of Family Violence (2024)

What can we learn from the most affected local areas?

Some Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Victoria report disproportionately high numbers of family violence incidents. In 2024:

  • Casey led all LGAs, with over 6,000 reported cases, highlighting serious ongoing challenges in this fast-growing outer suburb.
  • Greater Geelong and Wyndham also ranked high, pointing to rising pressure in expanding regional and fringe metro zones.

These are not just numbers — they reflect real communities under strain, where families may be struggling with housing stress, limited access to support, or generational disadvantage.

This granular view helps direct frontline services — such as community outreach, policing, and mental health support — to where the need is greatest.

What Have We Learned?

Key Takeaways from the Data

  • Children are being exposed to family violence in large numbers each year — this is a silent crisis with long-term effects on emotional and physical wellbeing.
  • Metro regions like North West and Eastern Victoria carry a heavier burden, suggesting that population growth, density, and stress may play a role.
  • At the LGA level, places like Casey, Greater Geelong, and Wyndham stand out as urgent intervention zones.

These insights are more than just statistics — they represent real people, real communities, and real trauma.

The data underscores the need for: - Localised support systems - Culturally aware interventions - Continued monitoring and community engagement

Let’s move beyond the numbers — and use them to guide action.

References & Acknowledgements

Data Sources:

Acknowledgements:

  • This project was created as part of the Data Visualisation course at RMIT University.
  • All analysis and visualisations were done using RStudio and the ggplot2 package.
  • Special thanks to CSA Victoria for making public crime datasets accessible.

“Behind every statistic is a life. Let’s use data to protect it.”