A Family Violence Investigation Unit will be established in the city, replacing the family violence team.

While it might seem like semantics to those outside the police force, Inspector Michael Cruse said it was a big step.

The unit will be staffed by police with specialist training in responding to family violence, including detectives, intelligence officers, family violence police lawyers and a family violence court liaison officer.

Inspector Cruse said the roles would be additional to those already in Bendigo, boosting the number of police in the region.

Staff in the new unit would also be permanent and wholly focused on responding to family violence.

Some members of the existing family violence team are on secondment from general duties – roles Inspector Cruse said they would likely resume once the new unit was fully operational.

Story continues below statistics.

The Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team, or SOCIT, will also receive additional resources in the new year.

Inspector Cruse said the changes to both SOCIT and the family violence team would be made as part of a staged rollout.

He was hopeful the new Family Violence Investigation Unit would be fully operational by the third quarter of 2018.

Bendigo won’t be the only station to receive additional resources, as Victoria Police responds to the Royal Commission into Family Violence and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The police force earlier this month released its strategy for family violence, sexual offences and child abuse.

“Bendigo is well placed through the implementation of the strategy to improve processes in place to respond to family violence,” Inspector Cruse said.

The city is already home to a multidisciplinary centre – one of six statewide.

The centres serve as hubs for agencies responding to sexual crime and child abuse.

Story continues below statistics.

From next year, Victoria Police will evaluate the value of adding agencies responding to family violence to the mix of co-located organisations.

Victim and child safety is at the heart of the strategic plan, as are offence and offender management and the provision of a ‘capable and safe workforce’.

Victoria Police aims to establish a Centre of Learning for Family Violence to help its staff develop expertise in responding to harm.

Inspector Cruse said the changes to be implemented in Bendigo were also made possible by the state government’s Community Safety Statement.

Victoria’s Community Safety Trustee, Ron Iddles, acknowledged the progress being made to achieve the goals outlined in the year-old reform package in a report released today.

“The appropriate governance structure and sufficient resources are in place to finalise the outcomes framework, noting that continuous improvement opportunities exist for outcome measuring and its implementation,” the report stated.

“The Trustee commends the relevant entities for the progress made in the first year of implementation.”

The state’s crime rate has decreased by 6.3 per cent.

If you or someone you know is affected by family violence or sexual assault, call safe steps on 1800 015 188 or 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. 

In Bendigo and central Victoria, support is available from the Centre for Non-Violence, which can be reached on 5430 3000 or free call within the Bendigo area on 1800 884 292.

Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative provides support to Aboriginal women experiencing family violence; the organisation’s phone number is 5442 4947.

Culturally sensitive and generalist counselling, with interpreters as needed, is available from Bendigo Community Health Services on 5430 0500.

Men looking to end their violent or abusive behaviour can call the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

In an emergency, call triple zero.