Warning: this story contains the names of Aboriginal people who have died. It discusses violence and sensitive subject matter.
The Northern Territory cannot arrest its way out of an epidemic of domestic violence, Coroner Elisabeth Armitage has said.
The Tragic Findings of the Inquest
In Alice Springs today, Ms Armitage handed down her findings into the inquest about four Aboriginal women who were killed due to domestic violence after investigating for more than a year.
Miss Yunupingu, Ngyego Ragurrk, Kumarn Rubuntja, and Kumanjayi Haywood were all killed by their partners, who each had a history of violence.
“These deaths were senseless and shocking. They were also preventable,” the Coroner said.
“We must bear witness to the suffering of these women, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.
“They must not be forgotten and their suffering must not be ignored. It must compel us to action.”
We must take the radical action needed to stop more women from dying.
There have been at least 87 domestic violence deaths in the NT of women, most of them Aboriginal women, over the past 24 years.
Eight Aboriginal women have died since June this year from domestic violence.
“The grief and trauma across our communities flowing from this traumatic loss of life is inexhaustible,” Ms Armitage said.
The Heartbreaking Stories of the Victims
Miss Yunupingu started going out with her partner when she was just 15 years old and he was 21.
His family was respected but he was exposed from a young age to problematic drinking and violence and started abusing alcohol when he was 16.
“The violence that she suffered at his hands started almost immediately,” Ms Armitage said.
“She endured and survived years of abuse, but succumbed to her injuries and passed away on October 4, 2018, when Mr Marika stabbed her three times with a large steak knife.
“She was 29 years old.”
Ngyego Ragurrk endured and survived violence and coercive controlling behavior for years until December 23, 2019.
“On that night she was horrifically beaten, drowned, and strangled at Darwin’s Mindil Beach … ,” Ms Armitage said.
Kumarn Rubuntja was a community leader and anti-DV campaigner, despite having been a victim of horrendous abuse for years.
In 2019 when she was 44, she started a relationship with Malcolm Abbott, who had a long history of alcohol abuse and criminal offending including shocking violence against women.
“Over a 25-year period, from 1993, he spent 20 years in jail including for killing a woman in 1996 causing serious harm to a previous partner when he stabbed her four times with a knife and assault with bolt cutters on his sister-in-law and the stabbing of another female partner,” the Coroner said.
The domestic violence started early in their relationship with the first 000 call to police on May 16, 2019.
Kumarn Rubuntja endured and survived until January 7, 2021.
“That night she spoke to a family member on the phone and said, ‘Malcolm is half killing me and I can’t tell you where I am because Malcolm is going to hit me in the car’,” Ms Armitage said.
“When she was sitting in the car park of Alice Springs Hospital, Mr Abbott repeatedly ran over her and left her for dead.”
Kumanjayi Haywood was just 13 years old in 2000 when she met Kumanjayi Dixon, who was 16.
The relationship continued on and off for the next 21 years.
“Violence was first brought to the attention of police two years into the relationship but likely started earlier, in total, there were 47 incidents between the couple reported to police,” the Coroner said.
“Most of the violence was perpetrated by Kumanjayi Dixon, but sometimes Kumanjayi Haywood acted violently.
“He was jailed many times but that did not deter him.”
On November 4, 2021, the couple were drinking together and Kumanjayi Haywood sent a text to a family member that read, “… Kumanjayi Dickson is going to kill me tonight. Love you much. Don’t cry for me, babe.”
When they returned home, Kumanjayi Haywood ran to a toilet, locked the door and refused to come out.
Kumanjayi Dickson poured petrol under the door and ignited it.
Kumanjayi Haywood sustained burns to 90 per cent of her body and died, aged 34.
Kumanjayi Dickson passed from his burns on November 13, 2021.
The Failures of the Justice System
The Coroner said the evidence shows imprisoning domestic violence offenders over and over again at great financial cost is not making any difference.
“A growing prison population is one clear measure of our failure because for every additional prisoner who has perpetrated domestic violence, we have yet another victim who we have failed to protect,” she said.
Alice Springs Hospital experienced an increase of 77 per cent in DV assault presentations after alcohol restrictions were lifted.
“There are insufficient safe houses for women and children escaping domestic violence and where those services exist, there are not enough workers and not enough beds, and it is not uncommon that women at risk are turned away,” Ms Armitage said.
It is estimated that domestic and family violence costs the NT between $457 million and $606 million every year, including in imprisoning children.
Of the youngest children in detention in the NT, 10-13 year olds, 94 per cent have been exposed to family violence.
“When children do not feel safe at home, they move out into the streets and join forces with other similarly-traumatized children,” the Coroner said.
“Most children are in detention for repeat and serious property offending committed when in company with other young persons, and the community is reeling from this offending, most notably here in Alice Springs.
“Sadly, without serious interventions, these children will likely grow into adults who use violence, however, shockingly, there are currently no pre-court diversion-specific programs for children who are exposed to or are perpetrating domestic violence.”
Recommendations for Change
The Coroner has made 35 recommendations, including better funding for frontline services (women’s shelters, Aboriginal community-controlled organizations, and men’s behavior change programs), changes to the way police follow up DV reports and targeted training for police and health workers.
Ms Armitage recommended a whole-of-government mechanism to address domestic, family, and sexual violence, which should report annually to the government; a peak anti-violence body; investing in Aboriginal interpreters; evidence-based alcohol intervention strategy and developing intensive early-intervention strategies to help children who are involved in DFSV.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic or family violence, you can contact police on 131 444 or in an emergency call 000. You can also anonymously report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Support services for those affected by domestic violence are available, including 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline (13 11 14).
The tragic deaths of these Aboriginal women due to domestic violence highlight the urgent need for comprehensive action to address this ongoing crisis. The failures of the justice system, the lack of resources for victims, and the intergenerational impact of violence on children all underscore the importance of implementing the Coroner’s recommendations and investing in prevention and support services. It is crucial that we come together as a community to combat domestic violence and protect the most vulnerable among us.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the police at 131 444 or call 000 in an emergency. Support services like 1800RESPECT and Lifeline are also available for assistance.
