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Legal Advice Ph: 1300 366 611

Family violence – what’s the law?

Last updated: 21/07/2015

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This video story provides legal information about family violence for people in all states and territories except the Northern Territory and Western Australia. 

It is the part of a series of videos about the law for people who have recently arrived in Australia.

Family Violence Student Kit -209KB PDF File (2 pages)
Family Violence Teacher Kit -189KB PDF File (2 pages)


Transcript of Video


Nabeeh, in a brown jumper, is at a football match talking to a friend, Ram, who has been playing.

Nabeeh: You missed three goals Ram. What’s wrong?

Ram: Oh, my sister Radha just called. She’s having problems with her husband and wants to stay with us tonight. She’s scared of him.

Nabeeh: How come she’s scared?

Ram: Well, he gets angry. He says she spends too much of his money. He won’t give her enough money to buy food, he doesn’t like her cooking. He throws things around the house and sometimes he hits her. I don’t know what to do or say.

Nabeeh: What did you say to her?

Ram: Well, I told her he’s her husband and she has to stay with him, she has to do what he says and then he won’t be so angry. But...now I’m worried about her.

Nabeeh: My cousin beat up his wife badly when she was pregnant.

Ram: What!?

Nabeeh: I feel really bad because when she asked for help I told her, ‘Just be a good wife and it will be OK.’

Ram: So what should I do?

Nabeeh: Go and talk to your sister. Tell her what he is doing is wrong. He has no right to hit her. Make sure she has a safe place to go.

A few weeks later...

Radha and her baby arrive at Ram's house. He and his wife, Lakshmi open the door.

Radha: He hit me again. I’m scared.

Lakshmi: It is too dangerous at your house. You and the children can come and stay with us. Why don’t we call a domestic violence service and ask what we should do next?

Radha telephones a domestic violence service and talks to Lakshmi afterwards.

Radha: They told me I should get an order telling him to stop. They said I could get help from the police or Legal Aid. What do you think?

Lakshmi: Let’s go to the police now and talk to them.

Radha: Good.

Lakshmi and Radha go to a police station and speak with a police officer.

Radha: Can you help me? My husband hit me.

Police officer: We can help you get an order to tell your husband to stop hurting you. The order can also tell your husband to leave the family home if you want him to.

Radha: How can we pay the rent if he leaves? I don’t want him to go, I just want him to listen to the police and understand they will arrest him if he does not stop.

Police officer: He can be ordered not to threaten you or hurt you, even if you live together.

Radha: What should I do?

Lakshmi: I think you should get an order that tells him to stop. You and the children have the right to be safe at home. The law says so.

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