This post deals with domestic violence and death and might be triggering for some readers.
1. Outrage over detective’s comment in Brisbane family murder: “Is it an instance of a husband being driven too far by issues that he’s suffered?”
Queensland Detective Inspector Mark Thompson was holding a press conference about the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children, allegedly at the hands of their father, Rowan Baxter, when he told the room that it was his job to keep an “open mind.”
“We need to look at every piece of information and, to put it bluntly, there are probably people out there in the community that are deciding which side, so to speak, to take in this investigation.
“Is this an issue of a woman suffering significant domestic violence, and her and her children perishing at the hands of the husband?
“Or is it an instance of a husband being driven too far by issues that he’s suffered by certain circumstances into committing acts of this form?” he said.
Hannah and her children – Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3 – were burnt alive in their car on Wednesday morning. The kids died at the scene, and their mum died later that evening from her injuries.
Rowan, Hannah's estranged husband, died from self inflicted stab wounds.
Politicians, journalists, and domestic violence campaigners expressed their shock at the detective's comments.
"For police to be buying into that kind of rhetoric is very concerning. It’s giving legitimacy to what has occurred, it’s victim blaming," chief executive of the Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Angela Lynch told The Guardian.
"Hey Quadey... Just wanted to wish you all the best brother, we know you're going through a hard time right now but the boys are here," says Latrell Mitchell in a video message, surrounded by the team.
"We've got your back, we're here to support you bud. We just want to make sure you're doing alright.
"We want you around, we want you to lead us down on the weekend. It's going to mean more to us than it will to you bud.
"Just make sure you're looking after yourself and hopefully we get to see you in the next couple of days."
With AAP
Feature image: Facebook/ABC News.
Top Comments
I've listened to what he said a couple of times and he phrased it horribly. What he was trying to do is point out the kinds of comments being made in the community and urging those commenters to come forward to police. Victim blaming is not the stance the police are taking - he was referring to victim blamers in the community. Even if they are idiots who are siding with the murderer the police still want to hear from them.
So now we're saying to women experiencing domestic violence: "why don't you just leave?" but also "Don't 'drive' him to murder you by leaving" ...?