PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

CHAPTER 7:05
PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

PART I
PRELIMINARY

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

    3.    Purpose of Act

    4.    Persons who may apply for orders

PART II
PROTECTION ORDERS

    5.    Application for a protection order

    6.    Grant of a protection order on an ex parte application

    7.    Grant of a protection order

    8.    Court may make a direction for alternative dispute resolution

    9.    Existence of other proceedings

    10.    Variation or discharge of a protection order

PART III
OCCUPATION ORDERS

    11.    Application for an occupation order

    12.    Grant of an occupation order on an ex parte application

    13.    Effect of an occupation order

    14.    Variation or discharge of an occupation order

PART IV
TENANCY ORDERS

    15.    Application for a tenancy order

    16.    Grant of a tenancy order on an ex parte application

    17.    Effect of a tenancy order

    18.    Power to discharge a tenancy order and revesting of tenancy

PART V
PROVISIONS RELATING TO OCCUPATION ORDERS AND TENANCY ORDERS

    19.    Procedure relating to occupation orders and tenancy orders

    20.    Ancillary orders respecting furniture, etc.

PART VI
INTERIM ORDERS

    21.    Interim orders

PART VII
PROCEDURES IN RESPECT OF APPLICATIONS FOR ORDERS

    22.    Date of hearing

    23.    Notice of proceedings

    24.    Absence of respondent

    25.    Absence of applicant

    26.    Explanation of orders

    27.    Service of orders

    28.    Service, other than personal service

    29.    Respondent to have notice

PART VIII
ENFORCEMENT OF ORDERS

    30.    Breach of orders

PART IX
DESIGNATION, DUTIES AND POWERS OF ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

    31.    Designation of enforcement officers

    32.    Duties of enforcement officers

    33.    Powers of enforcement officers

PART X
POWERS AND DUTIES OF POLICE OFFICERS

    34.    Duties of police officers

    35.    Issue of warrant

    36.    Police powers of entry without warrant

    37.    Duty of police officers to assist victims

    38.    Powers of arrest where order is in force

    39.    Existing criminal law to apply

    40.    Refractory witnesses

    41.    Granting of bail

PART XI
MISCELLANEOUS

    42.    Duty to report domestic violence

    43.    Service providers to assist

    44.    Protection of authorized persons

    45.    Jurisdiction

    46.    Single act of condonation

    47.    Conduct of proceedings

    48.    Evidence

    49.    Standard of proof

    50.    Restriction of publication of reports of proceedings

    51.    Order by consent

    52.    Counselling

    53.    Appeals

    54.    Protection of mortgage

    55.    Rules of court

    56.    Regulations

        Schedule

5 of 2006
G.N. 9/2007

    An Act to make provision for the prevention of domestic violence, for the protection of persons affected by domestic violence; and for matters connected therewith

PART I
PRELIMINARY

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    “applicant” means a person who applies, or on whose behalf an application is made, for an order pursuant to this Act;

    “child” means a person under the age of eighteen years who ordinarily or periodically resides with the applicant, whether or not the child is a child of the applicant and the respondent or either of them, and includes an adopted child, a stepchild, or a child who is treated as a child of the family but does not include a person who is, or has been, married;

    “court” means a court which, in accordance with section 45, has competent jurisdiction;

    “dependant” means a person over the age of eighteen years, living within the household, who by reason of age, physical or mental disability or infirmity is reliant on either the applicant or respondent for his or her welfare;

    “domestic relationship”, in relation to domestic violence, means the relationship between persons who are family members and share a household residence or are dependent on each other socially or financially, and includes the relationship where—

    (a)    the applicant and the respondent are husband and wife;

    (b)    a person has a child in common with the respondent and that person is being subjected or is likely to be subjected to domestic violence by the respondent;

    (c)    one is a parent and the other is his or her child or dependant; and

    (d)    the applicant and the respondent are or have been in a visiting relationship for a period exceeding twelve months;

    “domestic violence” means any criminal offence arising out of physical, sexual, emotional or psychological, social, economic or financial abuse committed by a person against another person within a domestic relationship;

    “economic abuse” means the denying of a person the liberty to undertake any lawful income generating activity…