The NSW government has launched a $60 million initiative to reduce rates of domestic violence, focusing on prevention and minimising re-offending rates.
The funding will include an Australian-first domestic violence police team to target and surveil high-risk perpetrators.
Prevention of Domestic Violence Minister Pru Goward said on Wednesday the new approach would differ from previous initiatives that focused on supporting victims rather than reducing and preventing domestic violence.
"This is a package that targets the perpetrator, targets the domestic violence offender in a very new way to reduce reoffending, prevent the violence and support victims," she told SBS.
"Along with mandated behaviour change programs for offenders, we have an approach that we believe will start to reduce reoffending rates for this terrible crime."
Ms Goward told ABC radio on Wednesday the mandated behaviour-change program would be "very welcomed".
"For a lot of women the thought that their partner, their husband, might go to jail, puts them off giving evidence and being co-operative with the police," Ms Goward said.
Domestic violence has one of the highest rates of repeat offending of all crime groups, Ms Goward said.
The state government's initiative, which Ms Goward and Premier Mike Baird launched in Sydney on Wednesday, comes only weeks after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the federal government's $100 million package to combat domestic violence, including funding for technology to aid victims.
Opposition spokeswoman for family and community services, Linda Burney, said there were less beds available for women throughout the state in specific women's services.
Services have been extended to the homelessness sector making it difficult for woman attempting to flee from domestic violence, she said.
"Women escaping domestic violence have to compete with the whole homelessness sector including men which is extremely difficult," Ms Burney told ABC radio on Wednesday.
"There is no longer a secular women's service or network in NSW."
Out of the 50 specific services for women, only 18 were left run by women's organisations, she said.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller said tackling domestic violence was "about getting on the front foot, getting in the face of the criminals".
"Domestic violence offenders are criminals," he said.
"We need to start the conversation that they are criminals and they should be treated like criminals."
He said regional NSW where domestic violence rates were high would be one of the first places that police teams would focus on.
Head of Domestic Violence NSW, (formerly Women's Refuge Movement NSW), Tracy Howe welcomed the package saying it was time perpetrators were "put into the frame".
"It's interesting we get caught up in women fleeing seeking refuge," she said.
"The responsibility's on her to go somewhere, (but) this is actually saying for once, `our eyes are on you'.
"The fact that it's a specialised squad within the police - I'm over the moon with the announcement."
She said the only way to tackle the issue was with a united front from all sectors.
Most women, she said, don't even go to seek refuge, so the government's package will give women the support they need.
Ms Goward told SBS the plan would also support male victims of domestic violence.
“Where men are victims of domestic violence, there will be supports available," she said.
"But we need to remember that the vast majority of domestic violence offenders are males.”
With AAP
