Court orders protecting family violence victims will now be recognised around the country

COURT orders issued to protect victims of domestic violence will now be automatically recognised and enforced around the country.

GRATEFUL: Domestic violence survivor Emily Cartlidge still carries a copy of her intervention order. Picture: Keryn Stevens/AAP

• DATA: Abusers repeatedly breaching orders meant to protect victims

COURT orders issued from to protect victims of domestic violence will now be automatically recognised and enforced around the country.

Victims previously needed to register their protection order in each state to ensure they would be covered.

SA Police will now be able to view interstate orders quickly online and ensure perpetrators of family violence who may come from interstate adhere to restrictions here.

Victims whose orders were issued before today can apply to a court for the order to be recognised nationally.

A new electronic system also launches on Monday to allow protection orders issued in SA to be shared more quickly between State Government agencies. The system will send an automated notification if a protection order is relevant to a case being considered by the courts, police or education or communities department authorities.

Women protected by the orders have welcomed the change, saying it will better protect victims. State Government figures show more than 8400 incidents of domestic violence reported in SA last year and more than 9000 court protection orders were issued, amended or revoked.

Attorney-General John Rau said automatic notifications about an intervention order would provide better protection of victims, including children at risk.

However, there were more than 3100 breaches of protection orders reported last financial year — which could include harassing or stalking a victim in person or via text messages, damaging their property or going to their home or workplace.

The trend has risen over the past three years, but frontline workers say it is only the tip of the iceberg because the figures do not include cases which are dismissed, withdrawn or never reach the point of charges being laid.

SA Police acting Superintendent Peter Worth, who is in charge of the Family and Domestic Violence Branch, said the changes which take effect today would enable police to “quickly and easily access information relating to family violence from any state or territory”.

“Regardless of where you travel throughout Australia, intervention orders can now be recognised,” he said.

Attorney-General John Rau said automatic notifications about an intervention order would provide “better protection of victims, including children at risk”. “This system could help reduce turnaround times (in taking action) by up to two days,” he said.

Status of Women and Social Housing Minister Zoe Bettison said the new system would improve “awareness of any domestic violence issues when the department provides housing assistance”.

Police Minister Chris Picton said the changes sent a message that “perpetrators will come to the attention of authorities, no matter where they are in this country”.

The announcement comes on the 10th annual White Ribbon Day today, which draws attention to the role men can play in calling out and curbing violence against women.

Emily Cartlidge, 33, said she was “extremely grateful” for the fact that South Australian protection orders remain in place indefinitely.

“Because, otherwise, I would have to apply for this every year like in other states and I have no intention of removing it,” she said.

Ms Cartlidge carries a copy of the intervention order which protects her from her violent ex-partner in her handbag every day.

She spent about three months in a relationship with a man who, at first, seemed charming.

However, the relationship soon evolved to include “social media stalking, controlling behaviour and wanting to delete photos from the past” and eventually physical violence.

“I was being isolated from social circles. He has come to my house uninvited and unannounced,” Ms Cartlidge told The Advertiser.

“I still carry a copy of the intervention order, just in case, because I’m still fearful about how I would react to that situation if I see him out somewhere. There’s definitely a lot of stress that comes with this kind of situation.”

Ms Cartlidge was assaulted so severely by her former partner that she says she required hospitalisation.

“The anguish of that is not easy to relive,” she said.

A perpetrator can apply to a court to have an order revoked after the first 12 months.

People protected by the order have a chance to argue against revocation.