Domestic violence victim survivors fear draft legislation in NSW to outlaw coercive control could be used against them by perpetrators.
Nina may be a victim survivor of coercive control, but she fiercely opposes this form of abuse ever being criminalised.Last week the NSW Attorney-General released a draft bill that would see peopleIt came after a three-day parliamentary inquiry that found NSW did not adequately cover coercive and controlling behaviour.Domestic violence experts say coercive control can be difficult to prove.
Coercive control is a form of domestic violence that involves patterns of behaviour that have the effect of denying victims their autonomy and independence.Kirrilly Salvestro, the deputy chief executive of the Linking Communities Network, a lead agency for domestic violence in southern NSW, said coercive control could be difficult to prove."This legislation is taking the step of trying to work out exactly what coercive control is and how it can be proven," Ms Salvestro said.
"A lot of victim survivors have experienced coercive control, but convincing police and authorities that [it] has occurred can be quite difficult."Domestic Violence New South Wales interim chief executive Elise Phillips shares Nina's concerns. She said there was a risk if the legislation was not well drafted, and if police were not properly trained, then perpetrators could weaponise laws to misidentify victim survivors as the abusers."It's a method of abuse where abusive partners and families misuse systems like the justice system or the income support system to harm another person.
"Women, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, are frequently being misidentified as perpetrators on protection orders, and the effects of this are far-reaching."
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Christian Brother accused of child abuse attended school function despite Order negotiating payout to alleged victimFormer Nudgee College school principal and Christian Brother, Stephen McLaughlin, was able to attend a birthday party on school grounds despite his Order being in negotiations to pay a settlement to one of his alleged child abuse victims.
Read more »
Clueless fan picks up golf ball mid-tournamentCommentators couldn't believe their eyes as a fan walked over and scooped up the result of a star's wayward tee shot. 👀 9WWOS
Read more »
Ghislaine Maxwell moved to low-security prison in FloridaDisgraced socialite serving 20-year sentence for procuring teenage girls to be abused by Jeffrey Epstein
Read more »
Motion to oppose same-sex marriage forces rethink of Anglican summitDivision flares in run-up to first such meeting of bishops from around world in 14 years
Read more »
I wore my Manly jersey, and my sexuality, with pride. Now I’m heartbrokenMy heart breaks that seven players from my old club of Manly refuse to wear rainbow jerseys to celebrate inclusivity | didiforget
Read more »
LIV golfers criticised by 9/11 survivors’ group over staging of New Jersey eventDonald Trump-owned course has been labelled the ‘worst place on the planet’ for the Saudi-backed tour by the national chair of 9/11 Families United
Read more »