Video link to help victims of domestic violence

‘GAME-CHANGING’ legislation allowing domestic abuse victims to provide evidence by video link — to avoid intimidation by the perpetrator — will be introduced in a matter of months.

It has now emerged that the long-running Domestic Violence Bill will finally be enacted before July, the Sunday Independent has learned.

For the first time, various provisions and restraints will be incorporated into a single piece of legislation, making the law more effective and easier to enforce.

This comes as experts warn the stress of Christmas can trigger more frequent and severe domestic abuse in the home, with women and children especially vulnerable.

However, under radical new legislation, perpetrators of domestic violence will be banned from contacting their victims online.

The guidelines will also extend access to an interim barring order in an emergency or crisis situation.

There will be restrictions on who can be present in a courtroom so that the victim will not have to give evidence before a large number of strangers.

Victims also will be entitled to bring a friend, family member or support worker into court to assist them during proceedings.

The law intends to protect the anonymity of those who are involved, other than where the victim chooses to waive this right.

And in a landmark move, it will allow for the views of children to be heard.

A Department of Justice spokesman said the bill is at an “advanced stage of drafting” and will be submitted for Government approval and publication in the coming weeks.

He confirmed that Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald intends to have the legislation enacted before the end of June.

Once in place, it will represent a huge step towards Ireland’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention.

A Victims’ Bill is also being drafted for publication as a “matter of priority”.

This bill will introduce, for the first time, statutory rights for all victims of crime, including victims of domestic and sexual violence.

According to a recent report published by Women’s Aid, more than 200 females in Ireland have suffered violent deaths since 1996. Of these, 131 women died in their homes, while 87pc were killed by a man they knew.

Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, expressed frustration that the legislation had not yet been enacted.

She also warned the legislation may not go far enough to protect victims of abuse.

“This has taken a long time and is very urgent. It needs to be given more of a priority and needs to be introduced in this final Dail term.

“On one level we welcome the bill, and it brings things forward, but there are a number of pieces missing from it as well,” she said.

“The current domestic violence bill doesn’t cover dating relationships.

“In other European countries there is a move to have domestic violence recognised as a crime in its own right.

“Another important issue is the extension of barring orders — this is very important in terms of protecting the safety of particular women.”