Among the first people to witness behaviours linked to domestic violence are veterinarians and financial officers.
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A new campaign raising awareness around coercive control of women highlights the behaviours to look out for in a bid to prevent domestic violence, which is a growing and concerning problem nationwide.
In the last week alone across Australia several women have been killed as a result of domestic violence.
Wagga Women's Health Centre director Johanna Elms said the reason this campaign will work is because it has been co-designed with organisations who have participants with lived experiences.
The 'It's Not Love, It's Coercive Control' program has been in the pipeline for the past few years but comes at a crucial time.
"I encourage people to engage with it, It will help bystanders, the people who think they don't know anyone who uses violence to rethink that," Ms Elms said.
"Someone may not have witnessed physical violence, but they may have witnessed coercive control.
"Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviours that often ends or finalises itself in violence, but it starts with coercive control."
Ms Elms said major events like Wagga Gold Cup and Anzac Day often increase domestic violence incidents at a local level, which is why it was important for her to push awareness now.
"Vets are often the first to see the beginning of violent tendencies, it often starts with harming pets," she said.
Similiarly, Ms Elms said staff at banks are also among the first to witness coercive control, but often don't have the awareness to be able to identify it.
Member for Wagga Joe McGirr said one of the really worrying facts around this problem is that 97 per cent of domestic homicide victims killed by intimate partners had been subject to coercive control prior to their deaths.
"This pattern of abusive behaviour can obviously lead to horrific attacks on women, so I think it's very important for local people to know more about the behaviour and think about how it can escalate into tragedies that should be avoidable," he said.
While there is still a lot of work to do to address domestic violence, Dr McGirr said the campaign is a start and something we can do now.
"It's a confronting message but I encourage our community to look out for the ads on television and to share them with friends on social media so that we can all learn about the danger signs in coercive relationships," he said.
Coercive control may include financial abuse, threats against loved ones or pets, tracking someone's movements or isolating them from friends and family.
"This is about the whole community learning more about the dangerous nature of this type of abuse and together, I think we can all play our part in protecting women by understanding more about the types of threats women can face," he said.
Ms Elms said greater community awareness would help to bring about change.
The campaign can be accessed online at waggawomen.org.au/black-and-blue/
Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Men's Referral Service 1300 776 491; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732; National Elder Abuse 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374)