Thank you, Chair. One presumes that the intention behind the Bill is to strengthen the Domestic Violence Act and the Criminal Procedure Act as far as harassment is concerned. Of course, these pieces of legislation have been, for the most part, toothless. As a woman I would say that they failed too many of our women. In that context, anything that seeks to strengthen justice, especially as it relates more to women, is therefore welcomed.
However, I have been of the view that the failures attributed to the Criminal Procedure Act and the Domestic Violence Act were not necessarily inherent in the pieces of legislation themselves being vague in certain matters, but stemmed from officials who were not properly trained or are just unwilling to transform and apply the law as it should be applied.
How do we intend to curb that? We have seen too many victims of harassment and violence reluctant to apply for protection orders for economic and many other reasons. I therefore consider it good that there is a provision in which a third party can apply on behalf of the victim. However, I have serious concerns with the clause that suggests that in order to do so, one must have an interest in the safety of the victim and the victim must be considered in the eyes of the court to be unable to apply for himself or herself. I argue that interest may be difficult to establish and probably not necessary.
Secondly, proving the inability of the victim ... [Time expired.]