The government of New South Wales plans to change the laws in the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act.
According to the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the change recognises that online abuse can cause victims significant psychological trauma and have potentially devastating, even tragic consequences.
“These changes are not aimed at policing free speech. They are aimed at preventing abuse,” said Ms Berejiklian.
The change will also include behaviour like posting threatening or hurtful images or videos online and repeatedly sending unwanted messages or abusive emails.
However, if perpetrators do not stop, they could face arrest and possible imprisonment of up to five years.
Online activity will be added to the definitions of ‘stalking’ and ‘intimidation’.
As per the Act, the meaning of (1)“ stalking includes the following of a person about or the watching or frequenting of the vicinity of, or an approach to, a person’s place of residence, business or work or any place that a person frequents for the purposes of any social or leisure activity.”
(2) For the purpose of determining whether a person’s conduct amounts to stalking, a court may have regard to any pattern of violence (especially violence constituting a domestic violence offence) in the person’s behaviour.
While, intimidation of a person means:
(a) conduct amounting to harassment or molestation of the person, or
(b) an approach made to the person by any means (including by telephone, telephone text messaging, e-mailing and other technologically assisted means) that causes the person to fear for his or her safety, or
(c) any conduct that causes a reasonable apprehension of injury to a person or to a person with whom he or she has a domestic relationship, or of violence or damage to any person or property.
(2) For the purpose of determining whether a person’s conduct amounts to intimidation, a court may have regard to any pattern of violence (especially violence constituting a domestic violence offence) in the person’s behaviour.
For more details on Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act, click here.
Where to get help
Support services that operate 24/7 include:
- Lifeline(external link) – 13 11 14
- Victims Access Line(external link) – 1800 633 063
- Domestic Violence Line(external link) – 1800 656 463
- Men’s Referral Service(external link) – 1300 766 491.
