Ms Maxwell put a motion to Parliament on August 4 in which she spelt out the sustained incidence of family violence across the region.
She said Crime Statistics Agency data to March 31, 2022, showed the number of family incidents exceeded the state average by 92 per cent in Benalla.
Compared with an average 1360 family incidents per 100,000 people in Victoria for the period, police and other agencies recorded 2611 in Benalla.
“Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence made 227 recommendations to reduce this dangerous and sometimes deadly abuse,” Ms Maxwell said.
“Among these was a priority call for victims and perpetrators in rural and regional communities to be given better access to support and services.
“But seven years later, when we’re seeing persistent incidents across our communities, there’s still no specialist family violence court or Victorian Legal Aid office in Wodonga or Wangaratta, and no support services in local courts for a region that’s home to almost 140,000 people.
“The intensive help provided by these services is vital so families can be supported in safety, and access referrals and counselling.”
Ms Maxwell told Parliament that women experiencing violence were 10 times more likely to face legal problems than others in the community.
“The absence of a specialist family violence court and Legal Aid office in the north-east limits the use of resources available to victim-survivors and perpetrators of family violence,” she said.
“Perpetrators also often engage with a number of legal services as a means of exercising coercive control by setting up a conflict of interest that denies their victim access to legal help.
“This forces victims to travel, if they can, adding to their trauma and cost.
“The nearest specialist family violence court is in Shepparton.”
Hume Riverina Community Legal Service acting principal lawyer Alison Maher said the absence of a specialist court and Legal Aid was “a serious injustice”.
“Having a specialist family violence court in our region would improve the safety of victim-survivors and better hold perpetrators of family violence to account,” Ms Maher said.
HRCLS was forced in the last financial year to turn away more clients than it was able to help.
“We are the only free legal service in our region and just don’t have the resources that are needed,” Ms Maher said.
“We particularly see this with our family law appointments, where we are booked out weeks in advance.
“More than 80 per cent of our clients experience, or are at risk of experiencing, family violence.”
Centre Against Violence chief executive officer Jaime Chubb said she fully supported the push for a specialised family violence court and legal aid in the north-east.
“Navigating the legal system for people experiencing family violence is extremely overwhelming, confronting and confusing,” Ms Chubb said.
“Specialist courts are designed to prioritise the safety of victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
“They also promote changes in behaviour and attitudes. With specialist staff and support services on site, the entire family can be supported through this extremely difficult time.”
A Victorian Government spokesperson said it is working to protect victims of violence and hold perpetrators to account with unprecedented investment to end family violence.
“The government has made an investment of more than $3.7 billion towards implementing the recommendations made by the landmark Royal Commission into Family Violence,” the spokesperson said.
“Following the statewide roll out of Specialist Family Violence Courts (SFVCs) all regions in Victoria will have a headquarter SFVC to provide support for their respective region.
“In the North East, the relevant SFVC is Shepparton.”