New Zealand Law Journal 1996 : 423-424

This article examines the court ruling of Isabella Ruka, charged for Domestic Purposes Benefit fraud in 1995, and explores the context of intimate partner violence and battered woman's syndrome in this situation. This author argues that the two essential elements in "a relationship in the nature of marriage", namely emotional commitment and financial interdependence, were not fulfilled in this case due to the severe and ongoing violence perpetrated by Ruka's partner. This article explores whether the existence of domestic violence justifies the dismissal of fraud charges in this instance.