Thousands of commuters pass through this major Sydney train station every day. But a message plastered to a set of stairs reveals a dark truth about the suburb.

Every day, thousands of commuters in a Western Sydney suburb walk up a set of stairs that hide a heartbreaking truth.

But a glimpse at statistics proves the stairs aren’t the only steep incline that victims of family and domestic violence are forced to climb.

Campbelltown experiences among the highest rates of domestic violence incidents in Sydney, with an annual average growth rate of 2.6 per cent.

It’s a location where domestic and family violence is so prevalent that you’re greeted with a footnote immediately after you step off the train and into the suburb.

I can attest to it. I live there.

Every day, I personally walk up and down these steps.

It’s impossible not to think about the women who use them before getting into a carpool with their abuser.

Or even more disturbingly, the attackers who walk up them and ignore their own contributions to the harrowing local statistics.

According to data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, police recorded 933 domestic violence incidents in 2016.

Last year, 1,100 incidents were reported, proving not much has changed since.

In the last four years, 2,742 of the domestic-related assault cases were due to male perpetrators.

These figures are just from cases that have been reported.

The stairs at Campbelltown Station paint a sad picture as you enter the suburb. Picture: news.com.au
The red flags

What’s more infuriating is that the signs aren’t entirely invisible. There’s a screaming warning when you know where to look.

Every week, posts from local mums Facebook groups seek advice on how to leave their partner in a safe way, requesting legal and emergency accommodation resources.

Kelly Stanford, from The Separation Place, is a family lawyer.

With 30 years of experience, she says there’s a deep misunderstanding of what constitutes domestic violence.

“The problem is that the majority of people… they just think it’s everybody punching the crap out of each other,” Ms Stanford told news.com.au.

She believes the impact of verbal and psychological abuse is being dismissed.

“They’ll say that’s not family violence. Well, mate, it is,” she said.

Domestic violence helplines

Womensline: 1800 811 811
MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24hr helpline: 1800 RESPECT
Lifeline: 13 1144
Family Violence Crisis and Support Service: 1800 608 122
Emergency/Police: 000

Last week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shut down the idea of a royal commission into domestic violence during an interview with Hit 100.9 Hobart’s breakfast radio show.

“There’s calls for a royal commission about everything… what does a royal commission do besides fund lawyers,” Mr Anthony Albanese told the hosts.

“What we need here is solutions that we know, we know what they are, we know what’s required here.”

Ms Stanford was disappointed by his response.

“I just shook my head … Would you say that if that was going to affect your wife, or your sisters or your mother,” she said.

“He wouldn’t be saying that. He would be saying, ‘Let’s find out what we can do to stop this happening to another person.’”

She also points to this month’s federal budget, which saw the eligibility for legal aid representation tighten, meaning matters will become harder to resolve for families.

“We have made the difficult decision to restrict eligibility for grants of legal aid in some family law matters,” the email to lawyers, such as Ms Stanford, read.

Christie Hayes challenged the PM on his government’s response to domestic violence last week. Picture: Instagram/hit1009hobart

He insisted that his government already knows what solutions are required. Picture: Instagram/hit1009hobart
She argues the cuts send a message to victims: “You are not worthy. You are not worthy of funding. You have to stay in this relationship.”

For Stacy Jane, founder of Escabags – a registered charity that provides free ‘Escape Bags’ to individuals and families escaping domestic and family abuse across Australia – the demand placed on the organisation from the region proves how desperately worthy they are.

“We distributed just under 500 escape bags within Campbelltown alone [last year],” Ms Jane told news.com.au.

The organisation packs bags with essentials and provides them to businesses all over the nation despite having no government funding. Campbelltown is among their most dependent regions.

Ms Jane is on the domestic violence frontline, consistently hearing and making pleas for more funding.

“I think that’s what it comes down to. It’s a lack of resources. It’s a lack of funding. The problems are getting bigger,” she said.

More and more people require the bags, which is a devastating marker of success.

“We’re still marching the bloody streets of every city in this country and demanding to get a commissioner report done. It’s just fallen on deaf ears,” she pointed out.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re turning up to the aftermath of an earthquake with a dust pan and brush … but if everyone had a dust pan and brush, we could get through it all a bit quicker.”

The stairs women walk up as their train pulls into Campbelltown. Picture: news.com.au

Greg Warren, MP Member for Campbelltown, says he wants attention to shift to prevention. Picture: Campbelltown City Council
Ms Stanford is constantly met with women who face the heavy burden of proof and stigma.

“The hoops you have to jump through to prove that you are a victim of violence or a victim of sexual abuse are crazy,” she said.

So what’s actually being done?

The steps at Campbelltown station may be a valuable resource for escaping, but we’re missing one important step.

Prevention.

For Ms Stanford, it’s the one area she believes needs quick and serious focus.

“We all wish it would start at home, but I think it needs to start in schools,” she pointed out.

“It needs to be addressed at a grassroots level, and it’s not just boys that need to be taught, girls need to be taught as well.”

Campbelltown experiences among the highest rates of domestic violence incidents in Sydney. Picture: Damian Shaw
Greg Warren, State MP Member for Campbelltown, also wants to see the focus shift to prevention.

“Men need to take a lot of responsibility, particularly those perpetrators,” Mr Warren told news.com.au.

“We need to say no. We need to call it out … Family violence on all levels by any individual is totally and utterly unacceptable. But the reality is most perpetrators are men and most victims are women and children, and that’s just simply unacceptable in a common and good society. So I think the focus needs to be about messaging.”

The stairs were a council initiative and not something Mr Warren’s office had any contribution to, but he still believes there’s room to go further.

“What’s most important is the steps that are in place to prevent violence against women,” he said.

“It’s clearly not making the level of difference that it needs to be, particularly when you see domestic violence remains one of the highest crime rates, not only just in New South Wales but particularly in our region.”

Mr Warren explained that there has been an increase in funding directed toward education programs from the state government.

$3.6 million was allocated in the 2024 state budget to support the Macarthur Women’s Health Centre. Statewide, $272.7 million was allocated in the 2025 state budget for frontline support services.

Mr Warren says the issue needs more than a bandaid fix.

“The reality is if people don’t start regulating their emotions and taking control of their actions … all of that [funding] will mean nothing,” he warned.

A ‘Driving Out Violence’ convoy held in Campbelltown last November. Picture: Campbelltown City Council/Facebook
The Campbelltown City Council told news.com.au that it “acknowledges the profound impact of domestic and family violence has across Australia and within our local communities.”

“While we are proud to play a leadership role in this space, we know meaningful and lasting change requires a whole-of-community effort. We work alongside the services and agencies who provide direct support services, particularly to support education and awareness efforts, and assist with advocacy to support the tireless work they do,” a spokesperson said.

The council supports annual campaigns including 16 Days of Activism, Campbelltown Says No and the Driving Out Violence Convoy, which “brings these important conversations directly into our public spaces through community installations and support information.”

They also work to provide crisis resources that are local for the community.

“We continue to work closely with the Campbelltown Domestic and Family Violence Committee and our local organisations, including schools, youth services and community organisations to partner and work collectively to ensure our efforts and resources can lead to genuine and meaningful outcomes for everyone in our community,” the council said.