The suspected suicides of 18 people involved in Family Court cases has prompted a top judge to call for more mental health support for people involved with the court.
Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier, in a speech being to be delivered in Blenheim this morning, said there were 18 suspected suicides by people involved in the court in the 13 months to June.
He proposed setting up a new specialist agency to refer victims and offenders in domestic violence cases to counselling and to chase up offenders who drop out of programmes,
The New Zealand Herald reported.
"A radical rethink is required in the delivery of both prevention and intervention in domestic violence," he said.
Judge Boshier said relationship breakups were linked to mental health issues and suicide, and courts should offer more support to stop children losing a parent through suicide.
"I feel for people that use our courts who eventually cannot cope and take their own lives. I am not only sad for them personally, but for the children they leave behind."
Judge Boshier identified 22 people involved in Family Court cases who died between May 2008 and June this year as a result of either suicide or homicide.
"Of these 18 (82 percent) were suspected suicides, and 41 percent of the deceased had been, either directly or indirectly, involved in domestic violence proceedings," he said.
Three-quarters were also involved in court battles over care of children.
He said New Zealand should learn from an Australian system where court staff were trained to identify possible mental health issues during separation and refer people to counselling services.
"I feel for people that use our courts who eventually cannot cope and take their own lives. I am not only sad for them personally, but for the children they leave behind.
"I accordingly advocate a court which has a much better support facility than is evident at present."
Judge Boshier said relationship breakups were linked to mental health issues and suicide, and courts should offer more support to stop children losing a parent through suicide.
He repeateds criticisms he made in February of programmes for domestic violence offenders. He said then that one-off acts in situations such as a marriage breakup should not be treated the same as "continuous or systematic" violence.
Only half of all offenders completed programmes, and he called for a new specialist agency to refer and monitor offenders and victims on counselling programmes.
NZPA