15/09/2022
Great news to protect survivors privacy
Destroyers, Rebecca Carro had meticulously planned her escape when she finally left her violent partner for good.
“She transitioned through safe houses before identifying a permanent residence 35 minutes’ drive from her old home. She sought and obtained court orders. She trusted nobody with her new address.”
So how the hell did her abusive ex manage to show up at the front door of her new sanctuary?
“ ‘How did you find out where I lived?’ she asked, when he appeared at her new home.
“ ‘You stupid bitch, from the electricity company,’ he replied. ‘They gave me a forwarding address.’ ”
Carro said her ex was enabled to find her when the energy company possibly included her new address in a letter sent to him after she requested a new account in her name, *perhaps asking for his consent*. Or maybe he intercepted a letter for her posted to their old address, giving a final electricity meter reading.
A week later, Carro had been released from hospital (where she’d been admitted as a result of his visit), packed up her life and moved *again*. Her ex is now in prison serving 5 years for violent offences.
But today the Australian Energy Market Commission launched new rules to protect people fleeing violent relationships, including energy retailers being required to safeguard their customers’ details by not making confidential information about an affected person available without that person’s consent.
“AEMC chair Anna Collyer said the measures will specifically recognise domestic violence as a form of hardship and bring survivors into line with others who are experiencing financial difficulties, by allowing them to apply for an extension on their bills or setting up payment plans.”
Energy companies must now also build their employees’ awareness of DV and establish secure processes to:
• identify survivors
• not require evidence of abuse, and
• avoid survivors reliving the trauma by having to describe it over and over again to different call centre staff while applying for hardship relief.
The new rules, requested by Red Energy and Lumo Energy, will see all states brought into line with reforms already adopted in Victoria, and drafted in Western Australia as a result of the 2015 Royal Commission into Family Violence.
www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/how-did-you-find-me-new-rules-to-protect-domestic-violence-victims-20220914-p5bhxh.html
Destroyers, in what other areas do rules like these need to be established to prevent abusive exes from getting information on – and even access to – their prey?
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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, you can access local services here:
www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/women/programs-services/reducing-violence/help-and-support
In an emergency, call 000.
For legal information, Family Violence Law Help:
https://familyviolencelaw.gov.au
