Domestic Violence Counseling Manual - Hot Peach Pages

duration if the magistrate deems it necessary for adequate protection. Most restraining orders are
personalized to the woman’s needs and her particular situation.
If a woman presses charges it will take at least two weeks to reach the Family Court or the Magistrate's
Court. In Cayo district the Magistrate Court turns into a Family Court every Friday, hearings will only be
given at the Family Court. If the abuse is classified as grievous harm, dangerous harm or maim the case
is dealt with as a criminal case and accordingly goes through the Supreme Court, the waiting time for
court cases here can be between three and five months. Requests for Orders are only denied in the cases
where a woman is harassed due to her approaching the alleged perpetrator (judgment: harassment would
not occur without provocation) or when domestic violence is deemed a self-defensive act.
If the abuser is arrested and sentenced on a charge of domestic violence or if he violates his restraining
order, he faces up to six months imprisonment or $5,000 Bz maximum fine (or both). If it is a first
offense, the abuser will probably be fined rather than imprisoned. In rare cases, the abuser might instead
be referred to counseling. This is only used in cases where the abuser is a first-time offender and the level
of past and potential harm is judged to have been or to be not very great.
However, if a women presses charges it will take at least two weeks to reach the Family Court or the
Magistrate's Court. In Cayo district the Magistrate Court turns into a Family Court every Friday, hearings
will only be given at the Family Court. In the mean time women are in danger of retaliation from the
abuser, particularly if they must continue to live with the abuser. If the abuse is classified as grievous
harm, dangerous harm or maim the case is dealt with as a criminal case and accordingly goes through the
Supreme Court, the waiting time for court cases here can be between three and five months. Requests for
Orders are only denied in the cases where a woman is harassed due to her approaching the alleged
perpetrator (judgment: harassment would not occur without provocation) or when domestic violence is
deemed a self defensive act.
31-56