A new family violence court has opened in Melbourne's southeast, offering specialised support, expertise and facilities for people experiencing domestic abuse.
Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes officially opened the site in Frankston on Tuesday, the fifth Specialist Family Violence Court to open in Victoria since 2019 after courts were launched in Shepparton, Ballarat, Moorabbin and Heidelberg.
The Frankston court includes a secure waiting area for victims and their families, with a separate entrance, private interview rooms and child-friendly facilities.
Evidence can be given via audio-visual link or victims can appear in court from behind a privacy screen, with the court staffed by expert magistrates, operational staff and family violence practitioners who have specialist training.
Nine more specialist courts will be opened in Bendigo, Wyndham, Broadmeadows, Dandenong, Geelong, Latrobe Valley, Melbourne, Ringwood and Sunshine.
Australian Associated Press
