Protecting victims

Stuff reports:

Victims of serious violent and sexual offences can now have a “non-contact order” placed on their attackers.

The new legislation is the latest in a raft of reforms to the way in which the justice system treats victims of violent crime.

The non-contact order may be applied to offenders who have been sentenced to more than two years in prison for a violent or sexual offence.

It prohibits the offender from contacting the victim in any way, including electronically. In some cases, offenders can be banned from entering, living, or working in a particular area.

Victims must apply to a court for the non-contact order after the offender has been sentenced. The order can also cover an offender’s associates.

Justice Minister Judith Collins said the new measures would help victims move on with greater piece of mind.

A lot of victims live in fear once their offender is released from prison. while these orders do not guarantee offenders will obey them, they should help in most of the cases.