Preventing Disclosure of Domestic Violence Victims' Addresses... Kim Geon Introduces the 'Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act'

[Financial News] Legislation is being pursued to prevent domestic violence victims' personal information from being exposed during divorce proceedings.
People Power Party lawmaker Kim Geon of the National Assembly Gender Equality and Family Committee introduced an amendment bill to the Family Litigation Act on the 22nd to prevent personal information, including the addresses to which domestic violence victims have fled, from being exposed to perpetrators during family court proceedings.
Recently, a man in his 30s who was a domestic violence perpetrator murdered his victim in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. The victim had moved to a new residence with her young daughter, but her new address was exposed during divorce proceedings. The temporary restraining order and the police smartwatch, among other measures, effectively failed to protect her.
Under current law, victims may apply to a court for protective measures if there is a risk that the disclosure of personal information, such as their address, could result in harm to their life or physical safety. However, critics point out that the address to which a victim has fled may be exposed to the perpetrator if the victim is unaware of the system or fails to apply in time.
The amendment bill stipulates that when emergency temporary measures, temporary measures such as restraining orders, victim protection orders, or temporary protection orders have been issued, the court must protect the victim's address and other personal information on its own initiative, without a separate application from the victim. It would also allow the court to take measures to protect personal information on its own initiative when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the victim's life or physical safety may be threatened.
According to Kim, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the National Court Administration also said they would pursue measures to strengthen guidance on personal information protections during the filing of paper complaints and electronic litigation, while connecting applicants directly to the protection-measure application process through the electronic litigation portal.
Kim Geon said, "There must not be a protection gap in which a victim's information is exposed to the perpetrator during litigation. I will do my utmost to pass the bill so that we can eliminate blind spots where victims' addresses are exposed and ensure that victims' safety is given priority."

[email protected] Lee Hae-ram Reporter