What to do if you are the Victim of Domestic Violence

Sadly, domestic violence is on the rise, not just here in Australia, but all across the western world; there are numerous reasons for this, financial pressure, the media, political differences, especially in the troubled times we find ourselves in. Violence is unacceptable in any society and if your partner becomes violent at any time, the worst thing you can do is nothing.

24/7 assistance

Fortunately, there are trusted domestic violence lawyers in Sydney and they are available around the clock. Make a free call and set the wheels in motion to obtain an order that prevents the offender from making contact with you. There are special courts that hear applications from citizens who are the victim of domestic violence, so you can receive legal protection within a very short time. Once you have made contact with a domestic violence lawyer, the process of obtaining a restriction order can begin and the perpetrator is legally bound to stay away from the victim.

Prevention is the goal

The Australian government is fully committed to putting a system in place whereby the victim of domestic violence can instigate legal proceedings that prevent the perpetrator from making any form of contact. There are serious penalties for those that fail to comply with a restriction order issued by a domestic violence court; by law, the person is presented with the restriction order and that should put an end to the violent behaviour. Click here for how to maintain a distance relationship.

Free consultation

The call and the consultation is free of charge and a certified domestic violence lawyer is appointed by the state on your behalf. A citizen should not have to pay to have legal protection against physical violence and there is a system in place to ensure that a person who is the victim of domestic violence is protected by the law. The lawyer would ask a series of questions and listen to your account of what happened and the next step would be for the lawyer to approach a domestic violence court and request a restriction order.

Keeping records

You should keep medical examination/X-ray images and hospital receipts, as they might be required at a later date, should there be charges. Courts require evidence, which might take the form of witness statements, images, video, letters or indeed anything that backs the claim. It is important to remain calm when in such a situation and under no circumstances should you accept violent behaviour, what’s more, you have the full force of Australian law on your side.

Of course, the accused person has rights and a court session would be scheduled to allow the accused an opportunity to tell their side of the story. In such a case, a judge would make a decision based on the facts laid before them.

Here is some Australian government information about domestic violence that might help you. Talk to a specialist lawyer as soon as you can if you are the victim of domestic violence.