State drops contentious clause that makes it mandatory to report domestic violence
Human rights groups argue that the clause violated the victim's dignity and should only be done with his or her consent
10 November 2020 - 16:20
UPDATED 11 November 2020 - 21:57
The government has bowed to pressure from human rights groups, removing a clause in the Domestic Violence Amendment Bill which would have made it mandatory to report acts of domestic violence.
In terms of the bill — one of three gender-based violence bills now being processed by parliament's justice and correctional services committee — failure to report “knowledge, reasonable belief or suspicion” of an act of domestic violence to the police or a social worker would be a criminal offence punishable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment of up to five years or both...
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