So, He Is Never Forgotten - Steve's Law

Abuse of first responders is increasing in Australia. Not enough is being done to stop it. Assaults on emergency responders are reported every fifteen hours in Australia.

Verbal abuse, physical assault, and threats harm their ability to care for others. They can also lead to mental health issues, such as PTSD, in emergency workers. In the worst cases, these individuals may face injuries or even death from attackers.

An unprovoked killing

Steven Tougher, 29, was stabbed to death outside a Sydney McDonald's while he was on a shift break in April 2023. Jeff Tougher's father is working to pass "Steven's Law." This new law aims to protect emergency frontline workers.

His reasoning is commendable. Changing the law to protect frontline and emergency responders better means his son's death won't be in vain.

The proposed changes to the law are threefold. First, people who assault frontline workers will be jailed for a minimum of 12 months. Second, everyone must wear body cameras and stab-proof vests. Currently, only police officers have body cameras and stab-proof vests.

An attacker stabbed Steven 55 times. This brutal act happened early in the morning and was completely unprovoked. The 23-year-old man charged with murder pleaded not guilty. He claimed mental health impairment, saying he didn't know his actions were wrong.

The man reported hearing voices. These included different voices and his own. They told him to kill himself and others.

He said the voices grew louder over the past month. That day, he couldn't handle them and attacked a random community member. He also pleaded not guilty to several related charges. These came from events in nearby suburbs that took place days before he killed Tougher. He cited mental health issues as his reason.

This case raises two issues. The first is the lack of health care for the rising number of mentally ill patients. The second is the alarming increase in the abuse of first responders.

A cry for help

Tougher's killer had refused to take his medication, with catastrophic results.

Last year, a 40-year-old man stabbed and killed six people at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping center in Sydney. He also injured twelve others. Five women and one man died, while the injured included a nine-month-old girl.

He had not taken his psychotropic medication since 2019. Authorities were warned many times about his worsening condition.

In Australia, 20% or 4.8 million adults have a mental or behavioral condition, an increase from 18% in 2014–15.

That is one in five Australians who experience mental illness every year. About 45% of Australian adults will face mental illness at some point in their lives.

Lack of care and limited treatment options put people in a tough spot, like the two men mentioned. The situation is getting worse. More people are experiencing mental illness.

Mood disorders (including depression) are comorbid with 44% of all suicides. Mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive drug use account for 29.4%. Anxiety and stress-related disorders account for 17.6%.

Steven's law lets a judge suspend the minimum sentence if the offender agrees to join a rehabilitation program. The problem is that these centers are already full and overflowing.

Who do you call?

Occupational violence against paramedics is a global issue. It affects many countries and regions. As the famous line in the Ghostbusters movie says, "Who you gonna call?"

It's early morning, and your partner is having a breakdown.

You have chest pains and difficulty breathing.

Your elderly mother has fallen, hit her head, and is unconscious.

Calling 000 or emergency services gets the right responders to help in these cases. They work day and night. They face things that we can only dream of in our worst nightmares.

Violence against paramedics is not okay. Assaults happen every 15 hours on average in this country. In 2022–2023, incidents of violence increased by 14%, with 580 cases reported.

Paramedics must be able to treat patients effectively and in a safe, non-aggressive working environment. No one should be spat on, verbally abused, or hurt while caring for someone who is sick or injured.

In the USA, more than two-thirds of personnel faced violence in the past year. In Australia, the corresponding number was 75%, in Britain 27.6%, and in Sweden 64%. A review reported that the career prevalence of experiences of violence can vary from 57 to 93%.

Unfortunately, it is often associated with drug use or with mental illness.

The link between mental health and emergency responders is becoming more pronounced. Let's hope new laws like Steve's Law will replace old laws. The current laws do little to protect those we rely on during emergencies and crises.

Till next time,

Calvin