EDITORIAL: THE stress faced by survivors of family violence is debilitating enough without having to run the gauntlet of further tension while going through the court system.

An 18-month study into regional family violence by researchers at Deakin University has found that women do not feel safe at Warrnambool’s law courts, a finding that has prompted calls for a dedicated family violence court to be established in the city.

This type of court already operates in Ballarat and Melbourne and employs specialised staff to handle cases that in the main involve female applicants and male respondents.

Facing up to a court is a stressful situation for anyone, let alone someone who has suffered abuse.

When that person then has to be in close proximity to their partner before the court hearing in shared spaces around the court building they can feel terrified and intimidated.

It is not fair and it needs to change.

The Deakin report has made a number of recommendations and if Labor’s Daniel Andrews is as good as his word and launches an inquiry into family violence if he is elected on November 29, those recommendations deserve a closer look.

They include off-site witness rooms to reduce the potential for contact with former partners and police being trained in how to take greater care in taking initial reports, with some women being interviewed in earshot of the public at the police station.

It might not sound like much if you have not experienced family violence but for many women making a report in the first place is a tremendously courageous step and they deserve to be treated with dignity and care.

Warrnambool’s family violence record does not make happy reading — more than 1270 cases were reported between 2013-14 and 685 charges were laid. It is a busy, highly-charged and emotional aspect of the court’s work.

That said, everyone has a right to feel safe when they attend court and it is incumbent on police, solicitors and court staff to ensure that they understand and respect the sensitive nature of these cases.