Male Survivors Bay of Plenty has joined through TOAH-NNEST Tauiwi Caucus network working group, for the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill Submission. This submission is looking to influence change of the current legislation which currently requires children to prove the sexual act against them was not consensual.
This Bill proposes several changes aimed at improving the experiences of children in the Family Court, including requiring lawyers to promote conciliatory processes for parents, furthering opportunities for children to express their views and giving emphasis to those views, requiring decision-makers to take family violence into account, and matching lawyers’ skills and characteristics to children’s needs.