With national homicide figures revealing that almost 40% of all homicides in Australia occur within families, there is a significant need for this book. It serves as an invaluable and practical resource for anyone who comes into contact with victims of family violence. The book covers:
- Family violence legislative schemes applicable in each State and Territory, including remedies, definitions, who can apply, criteria for obtaining orders, duration, variation, portability, breach, procedure and forms, and reviews and proposals for reform.
- Criminal law and the criminal process, including police powers, criminal offences such as homicide, and sentencing.
- Family law and procedures for protection under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), including the relevance of family violence in parenting matters and financial and property matters.
- The types, the causes, the risk factors and consequences of, and community attitudes to, family violence.
- The specific legal resources and social services available to affected families plus a checklist of practical questions for those assisting a family violence victim.
While there are national campaigns and organisations working to combat family violence, the legal responses remain fragmented. This book highlights the need for a uniform response across all States and Territories.
“The pervasiveness of family violence in Australia makes this book one of the most valuable resources I have seen. It is a compendium about family violence in every sense of the word.” – The Honourable Diana Bryant AO QC (from the Foreword)
Foreword by The Hon Diana Bryant AO QC, Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, 2008-2017
Abbreviations
Table of Cases
Table of Statutes
Chapter 1: Family Violence – What Helpers Need to Know
Chapter 2: The Criminal Law
Chapter 3: The Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)
Chapter 4: Other Non-Specific Remedies
Chapter 5: Protection Orders
Index
In the Foreword, [Hon Diana] Bryant notes that it is ‘an invaluable addition to our knowledge about family violence and what laws and other facilities are available’. Further, Bryant envisages ‘this book being used daily for its wealth of information, all found in one convenient place’. … Future editions of this book are necessary. … As the Australian DV law guru, the results of the author’s analytical lens could translate into a state of the art or best practice legislative model that would prove beneficial to readers and lawmakers alike.
Patricia Easteal, Alternative Law Journal, Vol 44(2) 2019
Reviews of successor title – Domestic Violence in Australia: The Legal Response (3rd edition):
Alexander successfully provides readers with an in-depth picture of the operation of domestic violence legislation around Australia. …
A good knowledge of legal remedies and non-legal; remedies such as the available support service for medical treatment and accommodation is essential for those who work with the victim in day-to-day practice, such as the police, court personnel, legal practitioners and community workers. Practitioners will find the material in this chapter useful when assisting domestic violence victims, as it includes a list of legal resources and social services and a checklist of practical questions that helpers have in mind. …
[The book] provides an excellent review of the current legal responses to domestic violence in Australian jurisdictions. I would recommend the book …
Journal of Family Studies, Vol 10(1), April 2004
[A]n invaluable text for anyone whose work brings him/her into contact with this issue. From the outset, the author … stresses that a holistic, interagency approach is required. …
This book is an excellent resource for providing clients [of family therapists and other counsellors] with accurate and essential information about the legal avenues for addressing domestic violence.
ANZ Journal of Family Therapy, Vol 24(3), September 2003
This practical guide … will make useful reading for anyone involved in providing services/assistance to victims of domestic violence.
Family Matters, No 62, Winter 2002
A fantastic reference for lawyers, Domestic Violence in Australia: The Legal Response serves also as a functional summary for social workers and anyone involved in the support of families disrupted by violence. … Ms Alexander explains practically every option the law provides to victims of domestic violence. She also analyses their relative merits.
Law Institute Journal Victoria, December 2002
This exceptionally useful book explains the wide range of available legal responses to domestic violence in each Australian jurisdiction.
Educational Book Review (India), Nov-Dec 2002
