XN000022-1984-08-23 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1984

'REFUGE' CENTRE TO BE SET UP FOR WOMEN, GIRLS

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A +REFUGE+ CENTRE WILL SOON BE SET UP BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID TODAY.

THE CENTRE, THOUGH NOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR SO CALLED +BATTERED WIVES+, WILL PROVIDE A SHELTER FOR THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID OF GOING BACK TO THE IR MATRIMONIAL HOMES BUT HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO, HẸ SAID.

SPEAKING ON THE SUBJECT +WOMEN AND THE LAW+, AT THE KWUN TONG LIONESS CLUB THIS EVENING, MR THOMAS SAID THAT THE LAYOUT PLANS FOR THE PREMISES HAD BEEN PREPARED AND DETAILS OF FINANCE ARRANGEMENTS WERE BEING WORKED OUT.

HE UNDERSTOOD THAT ANOTHER CENTRE FOR BATTERED WIVES WOULD SOON BE SET UP BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, PARTICULARLY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR WOMEN.

MR THOMAS MENTIONED ALSO THAT THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD SOON BE SOUGHT ON LEGISLATION DEALING WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,

+THE PROPOSALS WILL AFFORD READY ACCESS TO THE COURTS TO OBTAIN FURTHER PROTECTION FROM A SPOUSE WHO IS VIOLENT, WHERE NO DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS ARE IN BEING, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID.

OFFERING THOUGHTS ON SOME TOPICS WHICH, HE SAID, WOULD NEED +A GOOD DEAL OF CONSIDERATION AND PUBLIC DEBATE BEFORE ANY CHANGES IN THE LAW COULD BE INTRODUCED, MR THOMAS REFERRED FIRST TO THE AREA OF DIVORCE.

HE SAID ONE ASPECT OF DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS OF GREAT CONCERN TO WOMEN WAS THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE OF THE BREAKDOWN OF MARRIAGE. THIS ASPECT, HE SAID, WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN THE INCIDENCE OF DIVORCE WAS INCREASING AT THE SAME TIME AS THE TREND OF LEGISLATION AND SOCIAL POLICY WAS TO PROMOTE A GREATER DEGREE OF EQUALITY BETWEEN THE SEXES.

REFERRING TO RECENT PRESS COMMENT ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE DIVORCE RATE IN HONG KONG, MR THOMAS QUOTED A FAMILY COURT JUDGE AS HAVING PLACED THE INCREASE FROM 2 497 IN 1980 TO 3 754 IN 1983 AN ANNUAL AVERAGE INCREASE OF 14 PER CENT.

HE SAID THAT GIVEN THESE FIGURES, THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF DIVORCE WERE CLEARLY A MATTER OF CONTINUING AND GROWING

IMPORTANCE.+

THE FINANCIAL ....