Late December 2016, a Western Australian coronial inquest attributed Julieka Dhu's death to a severe infection in the bone of a rib broken in a domestic violence incident, which spread to form a large abscess and eventually entered her bloodstream.
Coroner Ros Fogliani found that Ms Dhu's death could have been prevented if her illness had been diagnosed in the days before her death in 2014.
She said Ms Dhu's treatment while in custody was unprofessional and inhumane. However, she made no recommendations for any charges or disciplinary action be taken against any of the police or hospital staff involved.
Following the WA coroners findings Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service (FVPLS) was one of the first organisations to release a statement of support to Ms Dhus family.
Ms Antoinette Braybrook, convenor of FVPLS also agrees that Ms Dhus death could have been prevented. She adds: Ms Dhu should never have been in custody. Instead of providing her with support as a victim of domestic violence she was just locked up for unpaid fines… Again, the system has failed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and, unfortunately, Ms Dhus death is not an isolated event.
Ms Dhus family had reported that the young woman had been a victim and a survivor of domestic violence prior to being taken into custody.
Had she consulted or been referred to a service like FVPLS her death would have been avoidable.
Ms Braybrook also highlights wide gaps in policies and practices to prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody. She also slams prevailing systemic policy incoherencies: Let me say one thing about the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Sadly none of the recommendations had a specific focus on Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander women and as a couple of our former Social Justice Commissioners have said the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women were overlooked in those recommendations has almost rendered us almost invisible to policy and lawmakers. This has led to probably why the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are the fastest growing prison population in our country. And thats probably why almost 90% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women in prison are victims of family violence.
Antoinette Braybrook concludes that the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) have to be reviewed.
In the meantime, she urges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women to seek assistance from services like the FVPLS whenever they fall victim of domestic abuse and family violence. FVPLS provides holistic and culturally safe services for victims of family violence nationally.