Domestic Violence Act of Saint Lucia
Under the Domestic Violence Act of Saint Lucia the act of domestic violence is broadly defined to include both mental and physical harm. Any person who is convicted of the crime of domestic violence is subject to a fine not exceeding ten thousand East Caribbean dollars, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
The Act requires certain persons to report to the police any known or suspected domestic violence against a child. The Act empowers courts to grant ex parte interim protection orders and inter partes final protection orders. An application for a protection order may be made by the victim or by another person on behalf of the victim if the victim is a child or dependent on the applicant or if the applicant has a material interest in the well-being of the victim. The Act specifies that the court must consider numerous factors and may grant an interim protection order if it is satisfied that the respondent has committed, threatened to commit, attempted to commit, or is likely to commit an act of domestic violence. An interim protection order may not extend for more than twenty-eight days, subject to a fifteen-day extension if the court is unable to hear proceedings for a final protection order. Upon notice to the respondent and inter partes hearing, the court is authorized to grant a final protection order. The Act specifically prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender, race, color, language, religion, political opinion, nationality, social origin, birth, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, migrant status, refugee status or any other status by any person providing a service to a victim under the Act.
See: A Practitioner's Guide to the Domestic Violence Act
Topics
Geographical location
Keywords
Year
- 2022
External URL
Type
Jurisdiction