Changes to family violence legislation
On July 1 the Family Violence Act 2018 replaced the Domestic Violence Act 1995 and some changes have taken effect to improve safety for victims of family violence.
In the legislation the term “domestic violence” has been replaced with “family violence”, to better reflect that violence happens in a range of intimate and family relationships both inside and outside the home and that it is not a ‘domestic’ or private matter. The meaning of “family relationship” in the Act has been expanded so that it may include people in a care-carer relationship. The definition has expanded to include coercive or controlling behaviour against a person that causes them cumulative harm.
Actions that a person cannot do while there is a Protection Order against them include the expanded examples of family violence:
• abusing pets or threatening to abuse pets or animals of importance to a person
• dowry abuse: dowry is money, jewellery, gifts or property brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage. Dowry abuse is when family members use threats or violence to demand more than the dowry agreed by the two families at the time of the marriage.
These have been added to the existing examples of physical, sexual or psychological abuse. Psychological abuse includes threats, intimidation, stalking, harassment, damage to property and financial or economic abuse; allowing a child to see or hear violence; and disrupting the care of someone who needs it because of their age, disability or health condition. Under the Act a
“child” is a person under the age of 18.
More information about the law changes is on the Ministry of Justice website.
■ For free and confidential advice and information on this or any other matter visit the Palmerston North Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in Hancock Community House, 77 King St. Opening hours, Mon-Fri from 9 am-4.30 pm, call 357 0647 or 0800 367 222. We have a free legal advice service by qualified lawyers most Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm, and a JP is available on Tuesdays from noon — 2.30pm. No appointment is necessary for either of these services.