Maya’s stepfather sexually abused her when she was a teenager, but a WA judge won’t grant an extension on a restraining order

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Figures obtained by the ABC show about one-fifth of family violence restraining order applications were dismissed by WA courts in the first four months of this year. Among them is Perth woman, who wants to be known as Maya, who says she was repeatedly raped by her stepfather as a teenager. She obtained an F-VRO in 2021 and sought to extend it but was knocked back.

Transcript

00:00I was so isolated and nobody around me cared about what I was going through.

00:08For Maya, leaving her stepfather wasn't easy.

00:11Everything would come crashing down and it's your fault to the point where you're listening

00:16for his footsteps to see what kind of mood he's in.

00:19Maya says she was abused for years.

00:21She even had his child, but fled when she feared he may abuse their daughter too.

00:27The first time I felt safe was at the woman's refuge.

00:29To have the VRO and to have some sort of consequences if he did cross those lines made me feel a

00:36little bit safer.

00:37During her FVRO extension hearing in January, Maya's stepfather admitted to having sex with

00:42her while she was under the age of consent.

00:45It's 18 when there's a special relationship where one person is in a position of authority

00:50over the other.

00:52Magistrate Stephen Malley accepted family violence was committed, but said Maya failed

00:57to satisfy him on the balance that her stepfather is likely to commit further acts.

01:03So it's not unusual for a court to dismiss an application for an extension of a family

01:08violence restraining order if, say for example, there hasn't been any contact between the

01:13parties.

01:14The Minister for Women maintains the system works.

01:17Each and every day there are many women who seek VROs and get them.

01:21But figures obtained by the ABC reveal only about half of FVRO applications last year

01:26had resulted in a final order or a conduct agreement.

01:31And data from the first four months of this year showed a similar trend.

01:36Does that entire process need to be looked at?

01:38Look, I'm always open to hearing stories from women who feel that the system isn't working

01:44for them.

01:45Maya says police didn't have enough evidence to pursue charges when she initially reported

01:50the abuse.

01:51And while she didn't get her FVRO extension, following her stepfather's admissions in court,

01:56WA police have confirmed they've reopened their investigation.

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