A LOCAL solicitor says a new government-funded piece of technology will stop those under an apprehended domestic violence order from being able to say they didn't know what was expected from them.
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A new government-funded app has been designed to give those under an apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO) detailed information about their rights and responsibilities.
The Avow app is described as a world-first.
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It includes information about the consequences of breaching an order, about court processes, features to encourage those under an order to plan for how they will comply and links to support services.
"It's preventing the perpetrator who has been issued with an apprehended domestic violence order from having any excuse in terms of lack of knowledge about what's expected of them," ClearPath Navigating Family Law in Bathurst principal solicitor Marie Sullivan said.
"If they are issued with an apprehended domestic violence order, that is a civil offence, but if they breach the civil offence by not obeying the orders, then that becomes a criminal offence and the worst case scenario for a criminal offence is not just a fine, but jail.
"People have been sent to jail for being repeat offenders and breaching their orders."
Ms Sullivan said 90 per cent of domestic violence perpetrators are men and she encourages her clients with an order against them to receive counselling.
"There's some very good male counsellors in Bathurst and the Central West to assist them with their anger management issues so they can learn how to respond in complex emotional situations to their partners rather than with physical violence," she said.
She said there's a family violence epidemic in Australia and is hopeful Avow will decrease those statistics.
"It's a two-fold initiative - it's to help the perpetrators stay on track, but the primary emphasis of it is to protect potential victims," she said.
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