In a powerful testament to survival and transformation, Queensland Police Sergeant Sharon Morgan has revealed how her personal seven-year ordeal with domestic violence now fuels her mission to protect other victims through groundbreaking reforms.
From Victim to Protector
Sergeant Morgan joined the Queensland Police Service nearly three decades ago, bringing with her a profound understanding of domestic violence that only lived experience can provide. "I experienced DV for seven years... both before I joined the police and during the time I was in the police," she disclosed to 7NEWS.
The veteran officer bears a birthmark that her abusive partner weaponised against her, telling her repeatedly: "No one's going to want you. You got that hideous mark on your face... you're stuck with me." This psychological warfare represents what Morgan identifies as the most damaging aspect of coercive control.
The Descent into Terror
Morgan met her perpetrator straight out of high school, initially overlooking red flags. The violence erupted the day they moved in together when she asked him not to smoke indoors. "I got king hit, smacked, and fell to the ground," she recalled. "That was my first incident where it was, 'You don't tell me what to do. I'll do what I want in my house.'"
The abuse escalated systematically through isolation tactics after they moved hours away from her family and friends. "I had no money. He took my key cards. I wasn't working... even to go and get milk or bread," Morgan explained. "He would bring it home from work so that I didn't have to leave the house. I was constantly in survival mode."
During her second pregnancy, the physical violence intensified dramatically. "He dragged me up the top of the stairs by my hair and then kicked me down the stairs," Morgan recounted. "I'm seven months pregnant. What sort of animal are you?"
The perpetrator employed chilling intimidation tactics, driving her to remote locations and threatening: "You play up, or you muck up, you'll be in the ground there." Having since studied strangulation lethality risks, Morgan now understands how fortunate she is to have survived.
The Escape and Setback
When her mother visited, Morgan seized the opportunity to flee with her children from regional NSW to Queensland. She enrolled in college and pursued her childhood dream of joining the police force. However, her abuser located her, and in what she describes as a decision she'll "kick myself for that for the rest of my life," she took him back.
Even while attending police academy, she returned home on weekends to endure continued physical abuse. The breaking point arrived in Cairns when, while folding his socks incorrectly, he threw freshly made hot coffee on her and her eight-week-old baby. A neighbour alerted police, and her Sergeant intervened decisively: "Right. This stops now." Morgan credits this officer with saving her life.
Driving Systemic Change
Now, 25 years later, Sergeant Morgan channels her traumatic experiences into creating safer systems for victims. She established Brisbane's first Safe Space, designed so victims can "speak safely and securely, to disclose their traumatic incidents" at police stations. This initiative has expanded dramatically, with more than 275 Safe Spaces now operating across Queensland.
The state's landmark coercive control laws, introduced six months ago, have already yielded successful convictions. Assistant Commissioner Katherin Innes revealed: "We've had over 149 complaints across the state, and we've had two convictions, which is fantastic at this point in time."
The statistics underscore the urgency of these reforms. During 2024-25, Queensland officers responded to 199,881 domestic and family violence incidents, averaging 483 incidents daily over a three-month period.
Future Protections
Further changes will take effect from January 1, 2026, granting officers power to issue on-the-spot police protection directions, implementing electronic monitoring of high-risk offenders, and making video-recorded statements admissible as evidence. Assistant Commissioner Innes expressed excitement about Queensland being the final Australian state to adopt this legislation.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm MP, who introduced the new legislation suite, brings personal understanding to her role. "I had lived with domestic violence all of my childhood and adult life as my father was a perpetrator of domestic violence," Camm shared.
One key election promise now implemented is a GPS tracker pilot program operating in Townsville and Caboolture. These court-ordered tracking devices ensure domestic violence perpetrators are monitored continuously. As of November 18, 19 applications had been made for trackers, with one successful application resulting in a Townsville offender being monitored since October 22. This individual has already breached their Domestic Violence Order, with police successfully tracking and apprehending them.
Minister Camm explained Townsville was chosen for the trial because it has "some of the highest rates of domestic violence breaches" in Queensland, creating significant pressure on frontline services.
Reflecting on the broader mission, Sergeant Morgan emphasized: "The insidious behaviour of DV... the responsibility is on everyone to eliminate it from our community." Her journey from terrified victim to empowered protector demonstrates both the devastating impact of domestic violence and the transformative power of survivor-led reform.
