668. Hon Alison Xamon to the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to non-fatal strangulation, which has been found to be a significant risk factor for escalating levels of harm in family and domestic violence cases, and I ask:
(a) do any Western Australia Police family and domestic violence protocols or procedures directly relate to responses to incidences of non-fatal strangulation;
(b) if yes to (a), which protocols or procedures;
(c) are police required to specifically record incidents of non-fatal strangulation in family and domestic violence cases;
(d) if no to (c), why not;
(e) do police guidelines acknowledge non-fatal strangulation as a risk factor for escalating levels of harm;
(f) if no to (e), why not;
(g) is there any intention to review the approach taken to family and domestic violence totake into account recent findings regarding non-fatal strangulation; and
(h) if no to (g), why not?
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
The Western Australian Police Force advise the following:
(a)–(h) Police officers responding to family violence incidents are required to record ‘Risk and Vulnerability Indicators’. This includes whether the perpetrator ‘has ever tried to choke/strangle/suffocate the victim’. These inform the risk assessment by the Family and Domestic Violence Response Team (FDVRT). The WA Police Force will continue to access FDV procedures in accordance with legislative requirements and identified best practice.