The signs of coercive control can be subtle and easy for family and friends to miss. But across regional and rural Australia, there is often less access to life-saving education to break the cycle of domestic violence. A series of travelling workshops hope to change that, sharing the story of the murder of Brisbane woman Hannah Clarke and her three children to promote greater community awareness.
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00:00Four lives tragically cut short by domestic violence. Brisbane woman Hannah Clark and
00:08her three young children were murdered by her estranged husband in 2020. The dangerous
00:14patterns of controlling behaviour in the lead up to their deaths now being shared with regional
00:19Queenslanders.
00:20Everyday people, whether you're in business, universities, factories, schools, wherever.
00:25At a sports hall in Townsville, dozens listen and learn to spot the signs of coercive control
00:31before they escalate.
00:32Well it doesn't have to actually be like assault that you see, it can be like mind controlling
00:38and other behaviours like that.
00:40We always looked at it as people hitting people or a bit more obvious and definitely more
00:45subtle signs.
00:46Don't be afraid to speak up, even if it's just checking in with a friend or a sibling
00:52even.
00:53Queensland's advocates say early intervention has the power to save a life.
00:57Coercive control behaviours are just as dangerous as physical violence in terms of its predictor
01:03of homicide and other serious forms of physical violence.
01:07So far this year, more than 30 women have been violently killed in Australia, allegedly
01:12by a man. But those on the front line of the domestic violence crisis say awareness of
01:18coercive control is growing.
01:20Not being able to control your own finances, constantly being monitored, whether it be
01:26through mapping or text communication or phone communication with your partner.
01:31Telling behaviours police say can be difficult to identify and report in rural and regional
01:37communities.
01:38If a perpetrator has the entire support of a small community, a victim survivor is really
01:42locked in. It's very difficult for them to get out.
01:45A small step to help those who see the alarming behaviour to speak up with confidence.
01:51It is a signal of imminent danger and the need to intervene before the police and the
01:57ambulances and the hospitals get involved. Because if you wait for that to happen, we
02:01are waiting for funerals.