An 18-year-old woman being battered by her ex-boyfriend cannot get protection from the judicial system - because her assailant is homeless.

The woman, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said the authorities have told her that her ex-boyfriend can be served with a restraining order, but he has been avoiding it because he has no fixed address. The only other alternative, the woman said, was for her to deliver it personally, but she feared that would result in another attack.

"I cannot get a protection order against him, because he doesn't have anywhere to stay,'' the woman said. "He moves around from place to place. Even his mother has a restraining order against him.

"I went to the Women's Resource Centre and they said they would draw up a letter, but that I would have to give it to him myself."

She said she decided to speak to The Royal Gazette after an abusive incident at her job last Wednesday night caused her employers to ban the man from their establishment.

The woman said she had reported other incidents to the Police, but each time she made a complaint and Police warned him, her ex-boyfriend would beat her.

"I think that my story should be heard, because no-one is doing anything," she said. "I have been to the Police. He has thrown me overboard at Albouy's Point, because he got jealous that I was sitting with friends. He has thrown me in a water fountain - and then last night (Wednesday) at my job, he picked up food and smashed it in my face.

"The Police are saying they cannot do anything because I don't have a protection order. It is ridiculous. This has been going on for two years. And she said when she sought help from a lawyer she was told she would have to pay $800 - not including legal fees - for a restraining order that would only last 30 days.

One Police officer contacted by The Royal Gazette agreed the law did not give women enough protection. She said an abused victim could have a record of being abused with the Police, however, "a piece of paper" was the only thing that can give Police the power to arrest an abuser.

She added: "There are a lot of loopholes. The Domestic Violence Act and the Stalking Act can be unsympathetic to women. Basically no women have protection under the law; you basically have to get beat up before you get any protection. But the only thing is for her to keep building a case until it becomes a pattern for the Police."

Women's Resource Centre acting executive director Penny Dill said she is inundated with calls from women who are frustrated with the lack of help they receive from Police.

"There is a lack of knowledge about what they (Police) can do. "I think there needs to be a special domestic violence response unit - that's the way that they have got to go. And it's unfortunate, because in some cases it's based on who the responding officer is to the call."

She continued: "The only situation where we could not really be effective is if the person (abuser) is of no fixed abode. That in itself is a problem. You cannot serve a person unless they have a mailing address. We can only do so much.

"But somehow she needs to get a protection order that will give the Police powers of arrest. If she has a record with the Police, then that gives good reason for the Protection Order - then the Police have to step in."