If an impassioned plea in parliament does not convince the Attorney-General to change Family Court laws, a campaign from legal and domestic violence heavyweights might do the job.
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Eleanor first opened up to The Border Mail earlier this year, telling her story of being cross-examined in court by a man who had abused her.
She also spoke with Indi MP Cathy McGowan, who last week called on Attorney-General George Brandis to change the law.
Eleanor has launched a campaign on www.fairagenda.org that already has more than 5000 signatures.
Her plea directly to Mr Brandis is “to urgently introduce a law to prevent abusers from cross-examining their victims in family court”.
“The day I stood on the stand and was forced to answer the questions of a man who had sexually assaulted and abused me for over a decade was a massive slap in the face,” Eleanor said.
“And that horrific experience was a major obstacle in my recovery from the trauma of my abuse.”
The campaign has been backed by 15 legal and domestic violence experts in an open letter to Mr Brandis.
Experts who signed the letter include Domestic Violence Victoria chief executive officer Fiona McCormack and the Advocacy Human Rights Law Centre director Rachel Ball.
“We have concerns that the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court have fallen behind other jurisdictions in their response to domestic violence and in ensuring that victims are safe throughout the court process,” the letter states.
“The family law system fails to take the steps necessary to stop further abuse and re-traumatisation when a victim is in court, giving evidence.”
A spokesman for Mr Brandis said the government examine ways to improve the family law system.
“It is important to support people who have experienced family violence in the justice system, and the Family Law Act accordingly includes protections for vulnerable people involved in family law proceedings,” the spokesman said.
