Domestic abusers will be ordered to stay away from their victims
and face tougher restrictions with the launch of new protective
orders today.
Providing vital protection to victims, for the first time all
types of domestic abuse will be covered - including physical,
psychological, stalking, and coercive control. The new Domestic
Abuse Protection Notices and Orders will also be handed out by
all courts (family, civil, and criminal), meaning more
perpetrators will be forced to live under restrictions.
They will initially launch in Greater Manchester, three
London boroughs and with the British Transport Police. They will
also be used in Cleveland and North Wales from early 2025 ahead
of a national rollout.
The Domestic Abuse Protection Notices can be issued by the police
immediately following any incident of abuse, providing protection
straight away and giving police time to apply for a Domestic
Abuse Protection Order to secure longer term protection for the
victim.
Unlike some existing protections, which can only be enforced for
28 days, the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders will have no
time restrictions, meaning victims are protected for as long as
needed to stay safe. Breaching the order will
be a criminal offence punishable by up to
five years in prison, making sure perpetrators who flout the
rules are punished.
Friends and family of victims will also be able to apply for the
new orders on behalf of the victim, as well as victims
themselves and the police. This will reduce victim engagement
with the criminal justice system, if necessary – process
which can be daunting for some survivors.
As well as imposing exclusion zones, the orders can mandate
positive requirements such as attendance at a behaviour change
programme.
For the first time, family courts able to impose tagging in the
most serious cases, a power previously reserved for the police
and criminal courts only.
Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and
Girls, , said:
“It takes tremendous courage for victims of domestic abuse to
seek help. Our role in Government is to make this as
straightforward as possible. These new orders reduce the pressure
on victims by allowing third parties to make an application on
their behalf, while ensuring the powers available to the courts
are more stringent than ever before. This Government will
continue to do all it can to end violence against women and
girls.”
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and
Girls said:
“More than two million people are estimated to have experienced
domestic abuse in the last year – a number that is appalling,
frightening and we are determined to change.
“That's why one of our first acts to deliver against our
ambitious manifesto pledge to halve violence against women and
girls in a decade is to launch new, strengthened Domestic Abuse
Protection Orders. By bringing together the strongest elements of
existing orders into a flexible order that covers all forms of
domestic abuse and has no time limit, we'll ensure more victims
receive the robust protection they deserve.”
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner said:
“Domestic Abuse Protection Orders were designed to bring together
the most effective features of existing orders to provide
flexible and long-term protection to victims of domestic abuse.
“The DAPO pilot should evidence what is needed to sufficiently
resource participating agencies and sector partners alike, so
that it can be fully funded for a national rollout.
“I look forward to closely following the pilot's progress and see
how DAPOs can improve the safety of domestic abuse victims and
hold perpetrators to account across England and Wales.”
Victims and VAWG Minister will visit Croydon Court
and Minister for Victims and Safeguarding will visit the Metropolitan
Police today to mark the launch, as they raise awareness of the
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign.
Today's announcement is the next step in the government's
unpreceded pledge to halve violence against women and girls in
the next decade.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The DAPO is a joint policy shared
between the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office and was
legislated for in Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
- Tagging can only be imposed for 12
months at a time.
