Contents

Table of Contents

Contents

Book Cover

Site search

Case database

1. Purpose and limitations

2. Using this bench book

3. Terminology

3.1. Understanding domestic and family violence

3.1.1. Physical violence and harm

3.1.2. Sexual and reproductive abuse

3.1.3. Economic and financial abuse

3.1.4. Emotional and psychological abuse

3.1.5. Cultural and spiritual abuse

3.1.6. Following, harassing and monitoring

3.1.7. Social abuse

3.1.8. Exposing children to domestic and family violence

3.1.9. Damaging property

3.1.10. Animal abuse

3.1.11. Systems abuse

3.1.12. Forced marriage

3.1.13. Dowry abuse

3.2. Coercive control

3.3. Protection order

3.4. Parties

4. Dynamics of domestic and family violence

4.1. Myths and misunderstandings

4.2. Factors affecting risk

4.2.1. Death review

4.3. Typological approaches

4.4. Vulnerable groups

4.4.1. Women

4.4.2. People with children

4.4.3. Children

4.4.4. Young people

4.4.5. Older people

4.4.6. Pregnant people

4.4.7. People with disability and impairment

4.4.8. People with mental illness

4.4.9. People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

4.4.10. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

4.4.11. People living in regional, rural and remote communities

4.4.12. People affected by substance misuse

4.4.13. People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer +

4.4.14. People with poor literacy skills

4.4.15. Victims as (alleged) perpetrators

5. Fair hearing and safety

5.1. Impact on consent and disclosure

5.2. Victim experience of court processes

5.3. Safety and protection of victim and witnesses

5.4. Legal representation and self-represented litigants

5.5. Interpreters and translators

5.6. Support person in court

5.7. Referral to support services

5.8. Adjournments and timely decision making

5.9. Information sharing

5.10. Implicit bias

5.11. Trauma-informed judicial practice

6. Evidence issues

7. Protection orders

7.1. Purpose

7.2. Management of application proceedings

7.2.1. Cross-examination

7.3. Information sharing

7.4. Conditions

7.5. Property

7.6. Duration

7.7. Related family law proceedings

7.8. Parenting orders

7.9. Recognition of interstate orders

7.10. Breach

7.11. Undertakings

7.12. Summary of considerations

7.13. Sample conditions

8. Perpetrator interventions

9. Responses in criminal proceedings

9.1. Bail

9.2. Evidence

9.2.1. Relationship, context, tendency and coincidence evidence

9.2.2. Expert or opinion evidence

9.2.3. Vulnerable or special witnesses

9.3. Sentencing

9.3.1. Sentencing considerations - breaches of protection orders

9.3.2. Specific considerations - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

9.3.3. Listening to victims

9.3.4. Options

9.3.4.1. Imprisonment

9.3.4.2. Intermediate sanctions

9.3.4.3. Fines

10. Family law proceedings

10.1. Foundational information

10.1.1. FCFCA Family Violence Best Practice Principles

10.1.2. Key statutory provisions in Family Law Act (Cth) and Family Court Act (WA)

10.1.3. Intersection of legal systems

10.1.4. Jurisdiction of FCFCA

10.1.5. Jurisdiction of the Family Court of Western Australia

10.1.6. Jurisdiction of state/territory courts

10.1.7. Prevalence of domestic and family violence in the family law system

10.1.8. Impact of domestic and family violence on children and parenting capacity

10.1.9. Independent children's lawyer

10.2. Family dispute resolution

10.3. Court and case management

10.3.1. Child-related proceedings

10.3.2. Cross-examination

10.3.3. Self-represented litigants

10.3.4. Unmeritorious, harmful or vexatious proceedings

10.4. Family consultants and expert witnesses

10.5. Information sharing

10.6. Unacceptable risk and best interests

10.7. Parenting orders and impact on children

10.7.1. Allegations of domestic and family violence

10.7.2. Court-based parenting outcomes

10.7.3. Relocation

10.7.4. Recovery orders

10.7.5. Hague Convention international return and removal of children

10.7.6. Parental alienation

10.8. Property proceedings

Victim experiences

Acknowledgements

Note: An offline print version of the site (last updated June 2023) is available here.

Last updated: August 2025

Contents

Book Cover

Site search

Case database

1. Purpose and limitations

2. Using this bench book

3. Terminology

3.1. Understanding domestic and family violence

3.1.1. Physical violence and harm

3.1.2. Sexual and reproductive abuse

3.1.3. Economic and financial abuse

3.1.4. Emotional and psychological abuse

3.1.5. Cultural and spiritual abuse

3.1.6. Following, harassing and monitoring

3.1.7. Social abuse

3.1.8. Exposing children to domestic and family violence

3.1.9. Damaging property

3.1.10. Animal abuse

3.1.11. Systems abuse

3.1.12. Forced marriage

3.1.13. Dowry abuse

3.2. Coercive control

3.3. Protection order

3.4. Parties

4. Dynamics of domestic and family violence

4.1. Myths and misunderstandings

4.2. Factors affecting risk

4.2.1. Death review

4.3. Typological approaches

4.4. Vulnerable groups

4.4.1. Women

4.4.2. People with children

4.4.3. Children

4.4.4. Young people

4.4.5. Older people

4.4.6. Pregnant people

4.4.7. People with disability and impairment

4.4.8. People with mental illness

4.4.9. People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

4.4.10. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

4.4.11. People living in regional, rural and remote communities

4.4.12. People affected by substance misuse

4.4.13. People who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer +

4.4.14. People with poor literacy skills

4.4.15. Victims as (alleged) perpetrators

5. Fair hearing and safety

5.1. Impact on consent and disclosure

5.2. Victim experience of court processes

5.3. Safety and protection of victim and witnesses

5.4. Legal representation and self-represented litigants

5.5. Interpreters and translators

5.6. Support person in court

5.7. Referral to support services

5.8. Adjournments and timely decision making

5.9. Information sharing

5.10. Implicit bias

5.11. Trauma-informed judicial practice

6. Evidence issues

7. Protection orders

7.1. Purpose

7.2. Management of application proceedings

7.2.1. Cross-examination

7.3. Information sharing

7.4. Conditions

7.5. Property

7.6. Duration

7.7. Related family law proceedings

7.8. Parenting orders

7.9. Recognition of interstate orders

7.10. Breach

7.11. Undertakings

7.12. Summary of considerations

7.13. Sample conditions

8. Perpetrator interventions

9. Responses in criminal proceedings

9.1. Bail

9.2. Evidence

9.2.1. Relationship, context, tendency and coincidence evidence

9.2.2. Expert or opinion evidence

9.2.3. Vulnerable or special witnesses

9.3. Sentencing

9.3.1. Sentencing considerations - breaches of protection orders

9.3.2. Specific considerations - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

9.3.3. Listening to victims

9.3.4. Options

9.3.4.1. Imprisonment

9.3.4.2. Intermediate sanctions

9.3.4.3. Fines

10. Family law proceedings

10.1. Foundational information

10.1.1. FCFCA Family Violence Best Practice Principles

10.1.2. Key statutory provisions in Family Law Act (Cth) and Family Court Act (WA)

10.1.3. Intersection of legal systems

10.1.4. Jurisdiction of FCFCA

10.1.5. Jurisdiction of the Family Court of Western Australia

10.1.6. Jurisdiction of state/territory courts

10.1.7. Prevalence of domestic and family violence in the family law system

10.1.8. Impact of domestic and family violence on children and parenting capacity

10.1.9. Independent children's lawyer

10.2. Family dispute resolution

10.3. Court and case management

10.3.1. Child-related proceedings

10.3.2. Cross-examination

10.3.3. Self-represented litigants

10.3.4. Unmeritorious, harmful or vexatious proceedings

10.4. Family consultants and expert witnesses

10.5. Information sharing

10.6. Unacceptable risk and best interests

10.7. Parenting orders and impact on children

10.7.1. Allegations of domestic and family violence

10.7.2. Court-based parenting outcomes

10.7.3. Relocation

10.7.4. Recovery orders

10.7.5. Hague Convention international return and removal of children

10.7.6. Parental alienation

10.8. Property proceedings

Victim experiences

Acknowledgements

Note: An offline print version of the site (last updated June 2023) is available here.

Last updated: August 2025