Launch of MSP’s Bill to Protect Women from Domestic Violence
01 December 2009
Rhoda Grant MSP has launched a bill to better protect women from domestic violence.
In a week where incidents of domestic abuse increased by 8 per cent, her Bill is badly needed to help keep women and children safe.
The consultation contains three main proposals.
· Make it a criminal offence to breach an interdict with a power of arrest.
· Make legal aid free to all for an application in a civil court for an
interdict with a power of arrest or a non-harassment order involving
domestic abuse.
· Remove the requirement to show a course of conduct before a non-harassment order could be granted by either the civil or criminal court, requiring only one incident of harassing behaviour.
Rhoda Grant said:
"The Scottish Parliament has made huge strides into tacking domestic abuse,
however, we have some way to go before women, children and others who suffer
abuse will be able to sleep safely in their beds without the fear of attack or
intimidation.
"As a society we have a duty to protect people from harm and that is what I am seeking to do through this Bill.
"The proposed Civil Protection Orders and Access to Justice (Scotland) Bill
seeks to give people greater access to protection.
"While we do have interdicts and non-harassment orders, these are not always available due to financial or evidential constraints.
"Also, the response is not always effective when further abuse does occur and these orders are breached.
"It is unreasonable to expect people to have to pay for protection or to have to return to the civil courts, at their own expense, on numerous occasions to seek redress for breach of interdict.
"This proposed Bill seeks to improve access to protection and justice for anyone who is subjected to abuse and to ensure that if a protection order is breached that this is treated as a criminal offence.
"While researching this proposal I have come to believe that there is still much to do to protect people from abuse.
"Every journey starts with one small step and I believe that the proposed Bill would be a step in the right direction.
"I hope every member of the Scottish Parliament can get behind this move and ensure that these protections for women and children can become law."
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