"What incentive do women have to go to court?"
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Jennifer Kokany has spent the past nine months navigating the justice system in an attempt to protect herself from an abusive ex-partner.
But the 69-year-old grandmother says domestic violence victims are given short shrift by a process that denies them a voice in court and favours perpetrators who can afford private legal representation.
Her ex-partner, businessman Bernard John Brennan, of Frenchs Forest, was convicted last month of destroying property at her home in Taree, on the mid-north coast.
After three days in court that took place over several months, a local court magistrate fined Brennan $900. An apprehended violence order prohibiting the 67-year-old from harassing, stalking, abusing her and contacting her was granted.
But Ms Kokany says the process became another opportunity for her ex to intimidate and abuse her as he made faces, gesticulated and muttered insults.
"So many women are too frightened to go to court but I wasn't, yet it got to the point where the magistrate said 'if you don't stop and be quiet, I will have you removed'," Ms Kokany said.
"But in the end the magistrate did nothing.
"What point is there is in stepping into the court arena against domestic violence when the perpetrator is allowed to harass and hound the victim?"
Brennan immediately indicated he would appeal the conviction and the apprehended violence order, meaning Ms Kokany is headed to the District Court next month.
The order was then altered to allow Brennan to enter her small cul-de-sac after he said he wanted to visit her neighbours.
"At no time was I or the prosecutor given an opportunity to oppose this modification," she said.
In a further insult, she was told she would have to travel to Newcastle, 170 kilometres away, if she wished to pursue compensation for the damage Brennan caused. His solicitors have been fighting her claim for months.
Ms Kokany said she questions taking the matter to police.
"What incentive is there to take action? Every time I go into court, I have a different police prosecutor and they don't know my story and I'm not allowed to speak. But he has his own lawyer."
"There is a huge hole in this process. It makes me so angry."
Ms Kokany said hers is a cautionary tale of how domestic violence can happen against women of all ages and backgrounds. She said she hopes the attention given to the issue following a spate of high-profile killings translates into action.
"It's no good for women, all these people waffling on and nothing changes. Being kept in a state of hyper-vigilance is exhausting. I really want things to change. It needs action and it needs action now."
