NCJ Number
216854
Journal
Judicial Officers' Bulletin Volume: 18 Issue: 10 Dated: November 2006 Pages: 81-88
Date Published
November 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This Bulletin from Australia presents an article on the domestic violence dynamic and then presents recent court decisions from the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Court of Appeal.
Abstract
The article on domestic violence focuses on how the domestic violence abuse dynamic is established and maintained and discusses the consequences of domestic violence for victims and child witnesses. The prevalence of domestic violence in Australia is reviewed, which indicates that as many as one out of every four women in Australia has suffered from domestic violence. The authors discuss society’s blind spot to domestic violence and then consider the progress made in recent years on building an understanding of the physical and psychological consequences of domestic violence for victims, children witnesses, and communities. Research is reviewed that illustrates how victims’ brains adapt to make it possible for them to function in a high risk environment. Even victims who manage to leave abusive relationships are still at risk of suffering from drug abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of anxiety disorders. The impact on children can be similar. Children adapt to the violent environment and accept aggression and violence as normal aspects of intimate relationships. Next, the Bulletin offers summaries of recent decisions from the Court of Criminal Appeal and the Court of Appeal. Four cases heard by the Court of Criminal Appeal are summarized and involve a sentencing for a child sexual abuse case, evidence of flight in an armed robbery case, admission of evidence of good character in a child sexual assault case, and a Crown appeal for serious domestic violence offenses. One case heard by the Court of Appeal involving mental health law is summarized. There is an obituary section and a brief article on the launch of the Judicial Commission’s recent publication, the “Sentencing Bench Book.” Endnotes