Kiama last on board for victim safety

A SAFE room has been built within Kiama Courthouse in an attempt to improve conditions for domestic violence victims who under current courthouse arrangements are forced to faced their alleged attackers prior to entering court.

Registrar for the Kiama Local Court Neil Langstaff said the room would provide domestic violence victims with a safe place to seek assistance.

We see around 100 victims of domestic violence a year, so there is an obvious need for this facility, he said.

Before the provision of this room women were forced to confront their attackers while sitting out the front of court waiting to be called in.

Having a safe room in the complex means women no longer exposed to the person who attacked them.

Mr Langstaff said this was not only a good result for women but for the justice system, saying studies have shown that women who are no longer in fear are more likely to go follow through with their complaint.

This will more than likely lead to a good deal more orders and more convictions for breaking court orders, he said.

The fact that women will be able to sit in this room with a member of the Illawarra Womens Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme and be able to remain calm and safe before entering court is certainly a plus.

Demetra Stylianou of the Illawarra Womens Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme said Kiama was the last of the Illawarra courts to provide a safe room for women.

Women have been forced to stand around out the front feeling pretty intimidated for too long when applying for an AVO, she said.

Now we can take them into this room, explain the process and women will be made to feel a lot safer.

Meanwhile Kiama MP Matt Brown said the $200,000 upgrade to the 146-year-old building was being carried out according to heritage considerations, adding the works should be completed next month.