Protecting women and children from domestic violence

The Human Rights Law Centre has made a submission on proposed Victorian laws that would require adults who have custody or care for a child to take action if they believe the child is being abused (‘failure to protect laws’). The HRLC is concerned about the impact of the proposed laws on women and children experiencing family violence and considers that they would constitute unjustifiable limitations on human rights contained in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006. Child abuse is a critical issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency and priority. However, measures to address child abuse should be appropriately adapted to achieve this aim and should not punish women who are themselves victims of violence.

The submission is available here.