Queensland Consolidated Acts

EVIDENCE ACT 1977 - SECT 103ZC

103ZC Factors that may influence how a person addresses, responds to or avoids domestic violence

(1) This section applies if the judge in a criminal proceeding who is directing the jury about domestic violence generally informs the jury about the matters mentioned in section 103Z (2) (d) .

(2) The judge may also inform the jury that decisions made by a person subjected to domestic violence, about how to address, respond to or avoid domestic violence, may be influenced by matters including, for example—

(a) the domestic violence itself; or

(b) social, cultural, economic or personal factors, or inequities experienced by the person, including, for example, inequities associated with race, poverty, gender, disability or age; or

(c) responses by family, the community or agencies to the domestic violence or to any help-seeking behaviour or use of safety options by the person; or

(d) the provision of, or failure in the provision of, safety options that might realistically have provided ongoing safety to the person, and the person’s perceptions of how effective those safety options might have been to prevent further harm; or

(e) further violence, or the threat of further violence, used by a family member to prevent, or in retaliation for, any help-seeking behaviour or use of safety options by the person.