'The system failed her': Amie Harwick's friend blasts domestic violence protections after Hollywood therapist murdered

Amie Harwick's friends have blasted domestic violence protections following the murder of the famed Hollywood therapist in her California home.

News broke on Saturday of Dr Harwick's death in the early hours of the morning, and her ex-boyfriend Gareth Pursehouse, 41, was later arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on suspicion of her murder. He is being held on $2m bail pending a court appearance.

Dr Harwick first filed a temporary restraining order against her ex-boyfriend in 2011, according to the Los Angeles Times. The restraining order expired shortly after because the woman failed to attend her hearing to extend it. She then applied for a second restraining order against Mr Pursehouse in 2012, and it was approved. Her restraining order expired two weeks before her murder.

"He was a stalker. When they broke up he didn't take it well at all," Dr Harwick's friend Rudy Torres told ABC 7. "He'd do stupid stuff and say stupid stuff. You'd tell him, 'Move on dude, leave her alone.' And he wouldn't."

It remains unclear if Dr Harwick wanted to extend her restraining order after it expired.

Police said she and Mr Pursehouse saw each other in recent weeks. Their chance encounter happened at a professional event Dr Harwick attended and Mr Pursehouse was hired to photograph, the Los Angeles Times reports.

“It was the absolute worst possible luck,” Beverly Hills sex therapist Hernando Chaves, who was at the event, told the publication. The close friend believed the pair running into each other seemed to “reignite his obsessive preoccupation with her.”

Mike Davis, a retired sergeant with the Vancouver Police Department in Washington and a member of the cadre of experts for End Violence Against Women International, said that while he was in favour of restraining orders, he acknowledged there is still room for growth to better protect the victim from their abuser.

"Nationally most orders are violated at some point," Mr Davis said. "Protective orders can be helpful if it's accompanied by a safety plan."

He added: "We, upon the application of the order, have got to provide proper support services for the victims and safety planning," he said.

For instance, Washington state legislators are currently trying to pass a law that would force abusers to carry an electronic tracker that would alert the victim if they are near by. States including Illinois and Maryland have passed similar laws in recent years.

Dr Harwick's friends say they wish they could've done more to protect her.

"I just feel like we failed her," Ms Torres said. "The system has failed her."

The Price Is Right's host Drew Carrey, who was briefly engaged to Dr Harwick in 2018, reacted to the news of her death in a statement.

"Amie and I had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime," Mr Carey said. "She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist."

He continued, "I am overcome with grief. I would like to thank you in advance for giving myself and everyone who loved Amie privacy while we try to work through this tragic situation."

A tweet shared by Mr Carey also showed a video of the couple when they were dating. Accompanying the video, the game show host wrote: "I hope you're lucky enough to have someone in your life that loves as much as she did."

Production on the Price is Right was halted this week to give Mr Carey time to mourn.

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