TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 43

sir,

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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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