Bekkie-Rae Curren-Trinca: Family of DV victim push Victims Register change

The family of a Victorian woman killed by her ex-partner has called for changes to the state’s domestic violence Victims Register.

Bekkie-Rae Curren-Trinca was fatally assaulted by ex-partner Paul Philip McDonough in 2019 after he was released on bail earlier that day without her knowledge.

McDonough unexpectedly arrived at their Warrnambool address, and Ms Curren-Trinca attempted to flee.

She was dragged back into the property, violently assaulted and left to die by McDonough, who called emergency services from a payphone down the street before fleeing.

The 28-year-old mother was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died one week later.

McDonough, who was going to be tried for murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, was sentenced to eight years and six months behind bars in June this year.

Ms Curren-Trinca’s sister, Demi Trinca, is now publicly calling for urgent changes to be made to Victoria’s Victims Register.

Currently, it is the responsibility of the survivor to apply to the register, which provides them with updates on their abuser’s movements.

“I think (if) anyone (was) given the opportunity to know that their attacker was going to be released that they would be safe,” she told Today’s Brooke Boney on Wednesday morning.

“I don’t believe victims are told that there is a registry that they have to apply for.”

Ms Trinca said her sister, who had been planning to leave McDonough, would “definitely” still be alive today had she known he was being released from custody.

“You would always want to run and try to get away, those crucial minutes are so important to save a life,” she said.

“We hear all of the stories about the abuse but we never hear of the action that’s being done to prevent it.”

Now, Ms Curren-Trinca’s family is calling for the register to be changed to an opt-out system where survivors are automatically subscribed and notified of their abuser’s activities.

“I think it’s a bit silly it is not automatic,” Ms Trinca said.

“More and more (women) are dying each week at the hands of their partners.

“It’s awful to think that all these deaths could be prevented.”

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On Tuesday, Daniel Andrews said he would consider the changes.

“I’m happy to look at any reform, any reform at all,” he said.

“Not every victim survivor would want to know (their abuser’s movements) but others, absolutely.”

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