sir,
UMELCO
DRAFT SPEECH BY HON LEE YU TAI LEGISLAIVE COUNCIL - 23.7.86
Domestic Violence Bill 1986
cases
men.
Statistics for the year 1985/86 show that there were in were subjected to known
in which spouses 838 Hong Kong
Women were the victims in domestic violence by their spouses.
while 6% of the victims were 94% of these violence cases Many women associations and other civic bodies have pressed for legislation to protect the victims of domestic violence. evident that the enactment of this Bill is necessary and should be made in good time.
to the Court
It is
to
a spouse who is subjected This Bill provides that
can seek an injunction from the Court requiring violence abuse
Should the victim be a child, a the offending spouse to desist.
on his/her for an injunction parent may
may apply
There is, however, child's behalf against the offending parent. no provision in the Bill to cover parents or parent-in-law being ill-treated by their grown-up children or sons/daughters-in-law. I must admit that domestic violence to spouses (wife battering
serious a
cases
in
poses particular)
problem that requires immediate attention and it is advisable to enact legislation in Nonetheless, further steps should be taken this respect first.
domestic violence to deal with domestic the Administration
children of people provisions should be made to ensure that the above two categories
by
and
of people
single parent
are well-protected.
families.
to old Suitable
A single-parent family
is one
the children for
where one of the parents is not staying with
Should the remaining reason of death, divorce or
or separation. parent abuse his/her child, there is no one to seek an injunction on the child's behalf.
problem.
Domestic violence
a social the spouse is basically a The enactment of legislation is just a means to provide
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