1. Introduction
The South African Law Reform Commission(SALRC)1 is presently considering submissions as to whether or not certain acts of domestic violence should be criminal offences. Domestic violence compromises the dignity, safety, physical integrity and mental health of the victim. It has physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic consequences, and it is compounded by gender inequality, poverty, and the abuse of alcohol or other addictive substances. Moreover, witnessing family violence as a child is a predictive factor of future abusive behaviour.

 

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Issued by The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference