Hui calls for speedy action on domestic violence

A national women's hui focusing on family violence has called on judges and lawyers to stick to the original intent of the Domestic Violence Act.

The three-day meeting in Hamilton over the weekend, organised by the National Network of Stopping Violence Services, was attended by about 80 women from around the country.

Speakers included family court lawyers working with battered women and a US domestic violence expert.

Spokeswoman Lila Jones said the Domestic Violence Act 1995, which was designed to make protection for victims of violence speedy and effective, was not being administered in the way that was intended.

"Within the court system there has been a deliberate undermining of the intention of the act, leaving women and children vulnerable as a result."

Domestic violence in all its forms - physical, sexual, or psychological - was statutorily defined as unacceptable behaviour, she said.

The act expressly lowered the threshold of the level of violence considered severe enough for a protection order without notice to be granted.

Delegates and speakers said more and more protection orders were being put on notice, meaning women needing immediate protection were often being left without court order protection for several weeks.

Ms Jones said family violence experts working with victims would seek to have their concerns addressed through every avenue open to them during the coming months.

"We are talking about using the law to save lives. Who can argue with that?"

- NZPA