Riverina police were called out to over 40 domestic violence cases in just one weekend, prompting alarm amongst officers and social workers alike.
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Wagga Women's Health Centre crisis support worker Julie Mecham said these were shocking figures, saying it was deeply disturbing to see such a spike in cases.
"I'm horrified at such a high number. I'm horrified at one, but such a high number is quite alarming, and it makes me wonder what's going on in our community," Ms Mecham said.
"What are the ongoing implications? It's never just a single person - there's family, there's family, and there are the communities that are all impacted by this violence."
Riverina Inspector Bob Noble said it had been a rough few days for the community, not only with the spike in domestic violence cases but also in terms of serious road accidents.
"[It was a] very busy weekend for police emergency services," Superintendent Noble said.
"Quite a lot of domestic violence and other violent crime, but also police and ambulance responding to several incidences of quite serious road trauma over the weekend."
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One of them was a 40-year-old motorbike rider who was killed when he collided with a car at around 6.30am on Sunday near Batlow.
Superintendent Noble said morning dew on the roads was a possible explanation for the crash, however investigations were still ongoing.
"Regrettably the deceased victim's sister happened upon the scene a short time later and police and other emergency services were dealing with her," Superintendent Noble said.
"A number of police performed CPR on the victim for a period of time but unfortunately he couldn't be revived, tragically, and it's just another example of a local person dying on local roads."
He said it was a tragedy from the Batlow community, which had already suffered "more than its fair share of hard knocks this year" with the drought, bushfires, as well as a high number of road fatalities.
"The little community of Batlow punches above its weight with what it turns out, and its contribution to social life across the Riverina is doing really hard," Superintendent Noble.
"They could take some good luck, if they can get it."
Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
