Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated ActsIn enacting this Act, the Parliament of Queensland recognises the following—
1 Australia is a party to the following instruments—• Universal Declaration of Human Rights• United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child• United Nations Principles for Older Persons.
2 Living free from violence is a human right and fundamental social value.
3 Domestic violence is a violation of human rights that is not acceptable in any community or culture and traditional or cultural practices can not be relied upon to minimise or excuse domestic violence.
4 Domestic violence is often an overt or subtle expression of a power imbalance, resulting in one person living in fear of another, and usually involves an ongoing pattern of abuse over a period of time.
5 Domestic violence can have serious impacts on people who experience it, including physical, emotional and psychological harm, and can result in death.
6 Perpetrators of domestic violence are solely responsible for their use of violence and its impacts on other people.
7 Domestic violence is most often perpetrated by men against women with whom they are in an intimate partner relationship and their children; however, anyone can be a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence.
8 Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and children.
9 Children who are exposed to domestic violence can experience serious physical, psychological and emotional harm.
10 Behaviour that constitutes domestic violence can also constitute a criminal offence.