PORT Douglas police sergeant Damien Meadows believes domestic violence must be stamped out before there’s a tragedy in the community.

It comes after a 24-year old man was charged in Port Douglas last week after allegedly strangling a woman in a domestic dispute.

New legislation was introduced in Queensland last year to make non-fatal strangulation and suffocation a separate offence in a bid to decrease domestic violence.

Sergeant Meadows said domestic violence and violence against women was a scourge on our society.

“Unfortunately it is a lot more prevalent than spoken about,” Meadows told Newsport.

“The new strangulation and suffocation laws have been brought in to try and prevent horrific tragedies.

“Data suggests that a huge percentage of strangulation type offences in a domestic environment can lead to homicide. It’s something like 800 per cent more likely.

“We must stamp it out before someone is killed.”

Meadow’s is referring to a frightening US study which found women whose partners had attempted to strangle them were almost 800 per cent more likely to be murdered.

In another shocking statistic, Queensland accounted for a quarter of Australia’s domestic violence deaths last year. There were 71 women killed across the nation in 2016, including 18 from Queensland. Five of those were believed to have been killed by their partner in a horror four-week period that stunned the state.

Meadows said it was important victims reported incidents to the police.

“Unfortunately a huge amount of domestic violence goes unreported,” he said.

“In order to stamp this out, that needs to change. We need victims to come forward to police as we want to eradicate this behaviour before a tragedy does occur in our community.”


If you or someone you know may be experiencing domestic abuse you can contact 24 hour hotlines 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), the DVConnect Womensline (1800 811 811) or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

* In an emergency call the police on triple zero (000).

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