People who repeatedly breach intervention orders will be subject to tougher penalties under new measures to prevent domestic violence in South Australia.
The state government will introduce the legislation to parliament on Tuesday allowing for anyone found to have breached two orders within five years to be liable to a four-year jail term or a fine of up to $20,000.
Acting Premier Vickie Chapman says the move would help provide a strong deterrent to would-be perpetrators of domestic violence.
"Intervention orders are designed to protect people from harm and when someone shows a clear, repeated disregard for these orders they deserve to face the full force of the law," Ms Chapman said.
"By strengthening the penalty, we will send a stronger message to the community that this type of offending will not be tolerated, and that those who do will face severe consequences."
The government's bill also expands the definition of abuse under intervention orders to include forced marriage, preventing a person from entering their place of residence and threatening to distribute invasive images of a person without consent.
Attempts to strangle a person will also become a separate offence and, if alleged, will invoke a presumption against bail.
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Australian Associated Press
