Ranty Pants – Be Someone who saves a Life.

I have seen a lot of blog posts in light of Rosie Batty winning “Australian of the Year” for this year. One author in particular admitting to being in knowledge of a domestic silence situation involving a child and doing nothing about it; not even the simple act of picking up the phone. I felt sick reading that admission. That phone call could have turned someone’s life around; prevented years of further abuse. A PHONE CALL PEOPLE. It’s the absolute definition of cowardice to not do it. Whilst I certainly wouldn’t recommend going door knocking, it costs nothing to pick up the phone and dial a number.

You could save a life by doing so or tacitly end one by being amicable.

This is a comment from one of the blog readers on the post….

I have been in an abusive relationship (very physical) and I always wished so much someone had called the police. Because i could not. I feared he’d kill me, he also said he would. No one ever did. I got out alive and I think it’s good that Rosie is Australian of the year but it must not stay at that. I read and understand your experience. Please DO use your space to say clearly, that Australian police will not tell the perpetrator who called them. If there is noise that sounds remotely like violence, like abuse and distress, please call the police, please “interfere with domestics”. It may not be a life threatening situation, but you might still save a live. Many victims lose complete perspective of what is right, where are boundaries and when they need to go. Help MUST come from the outside. Pls tell your readers that.

Read the above comment. “Many victims lose perspective of what is right. Help MUST come from the outside”.  Its not interfering, it’s assisting someone who cannot do it themselves from the inside. Its empowering those who are powerless to stop a crime. As a wife of a Police Officer, I can assure you that all calls are anonymous to the perpetrator. The attending officers to the scene simply state that they have received a report, which could be from a concerned family member, a work colleague, a family friend, a neighbour,  a stranger in a shopping centre; any number of people.

If you witness something happening and fear that someone is being hurt right NOW,then call 000 for immediate Police attendance.

If you know that there is a domestic violence situation occurring but no life is in current danger, then call 131 444 for Police attendance.

Don’t let concern become regret. Don’t play a part in a Domestic Violence Situation.

Don’t allow the possibility of someone’s life coming to an end because of your tacit condonation of a situation.

Don’t fool yourself; by doing nothing, you are knowingly playing a part in Domestic Violence. You are enabling a criminal.