OFFENDERS who repeatedly breach an intervention order will face up to four years in jail under new laws introduced to state parliament.
Under the proposed laws, people who have been convicted of a previous breach within the preceding five years will be liable for a penalty of up to four years in jail or fines of up to $20,000.
The new laws will also introduce a separate offence of strangulation and extend to incidents after a relationship has ended.
Centacare Limestone Coast Domestic Violence Service manager Susie Smith said the introduction of a stand-alone offence for strangulation and the inclusion of former partners would assist in protecting vulnerable women.
“When a women decides to leave or to end the relationship, the violence can really amp up,” she said.
“This is often a critical time for her safety.”
Under the proposed laws, strangulation would also be included in the list of offences where there is a presumption against bail.
Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said the move would help provide a strong deterrent to would-be perpetrators of domestic violence.
“Intervention orders are designed to protect people from harm and – when someone shows a clear, repeated disregard for these orders – they deserve to face the full force of the law,” she said.
“By strengthening the penalty, we will send a stronger message to the community this type of offending will not be tolerated and those who do will face severe consequences.”
The government will expand the definition of “abuse” under existing legislation to include forced marriage, preventing a person from entering a victim’s place of residence and threatening to distribute invasive images of a person without their consent.
The laws will also ensure police video recordings using body cameras at the time of an incident are admissible in court.
