Domestic Violence Law Stalls Amid Training Holdup

In 2025, the government rolled out a new law to help tackle the surge in domestic violence cases, promising easier access to protection orders. But months later, some of the law’s key provisions still aren’t in effect. Under the legislation, senior justices of the peace would be able to issue emergency, ex-parte protection orders in exceptional situations, like on weekends or public holidays when the courts are closed. But before they can use that authority, they need specialized training. So, what’s the holdup? There are growing questions about whether that training has even started, along with reports that some applicants may be asked to pay a fifty‑dollar fee to get a protection order. We took those concerns straight to Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre.

 

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General

“What has to take place as well is that a training exercise where these senior justice of peace, although they are empowered under the law they also have to be trained as it relates to the specific power in issuing a protection order and those which are set out in the Domestic Violence Act. So those are things being done, being conducted.”

 

Reporter

“Do you know if it was put into practice over the Christmas holiday?”

 

Anthony Sylvestre

“It was not because of the training. We don’t want to rush and empower person who may not have sufficient training. A balance has to be struck. There has to be this provision to allow persons in these circumstances to have access to justice. But at the same time we want to ensure those who will dispense with justice know what they are doing. So that balance has to be struck. One of the things we thought, utilizing the police station ensures you have readily available a police officer, whereas you would appreciate that at a court you may not necessarily be able to have a police officer to go out and serve the order. So we think that it is actually to the benefit and advantage to someone who is in need with the service provide at a police.”

 

Reporter

“And with the cost?”

 

Anthony Sylvestre

“That has to be worked out, because this is done outside of working hours. So, all of those logistics has to be worked out as well.”