'It could have been me': Woman's emotional breakdown live on Q&A

A woman has broken down live on air as she shared a distressing triple-0 call from when her ex-partner tried to hit her with a car.

The woman, known as Geraldine, shared her experience of domestic violence with ABC’s Q&A on Monday night, just weeks after Hannah Clarke and her three children – Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3 – were killed at the hands of Rowan Baxter in Brisbane.

In the call, Geraldine can be heard saying “Oh my God, Oh my God” to the operator.

The operator asks her to describe what’s happening.

“He’s trying to hit us in the car,” she says.

The operator asks Geraldine to clarify what’s going on.

“He’s trying to hit us in the car,” she cries.

Geraldine told Q&A the triple-0 call occurred the day after she left her partner in 2015 after he had assaulted her.

She had taken out an AVO against him but in tears she explained “people like me” are often asked why they don’t leave their abusive partners.

“When our options are leave and be faced with those situations and all I can do is wave a piece of paper that’s an AVO in the air that’s supposed to protect me, that’s not an appropriate answer for us,” she told the Q&A.

“And that’s not an appropriate protection for people who are trying to just be free.”

Geraldine added she spent years in an abusive relationship.

She’s become “somewhat used to” reading about women being killed by current or ex-partners.

“But for me personally, when it’s something to do with a vehicle, and if it’s something to do with breaching an AVO, those ones really hit me really hard because I honestly feel like it could have been me,” Geraldine said.

“And it’s just by luck that I have the privilege of sitting here and telling you my story and that I’m not a name or a nameless statistic.”

On Twitter, people applauded Geraldine for sharing her experience.

One man tweeted her story was “powerful”.

“This should be simple. Domestic violence has to be called out every, single time. No exceptions. No excuses. No victim blaming. Call. It. Out,” he tweeted.

Another said, “Is all Australia in tears or just me?”

“It could've been me. There's no sensation more powerful or profound,” another man tweeted.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, one in six women in Australia have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or previous partner.

Twenty-five per cent have experienced emotional abuse.

Hannah Clarke and her three children were killed by her estranged husband Rowan Baxter on February 19 in Camp Hill.

• 'Prostitutes and cleaners': Rowan Baxter's cousin details his 'hatred of women'

• Rowan Baxter's son details dad's abuse after tragic death of wife, three kids

It’s believed Baxter doused them in petrol and set them alight before taking his own life.

Baxter’s actions are being treated as murder.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au.

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