Victims protected through game changing domestic abuse orders

More than 1,000 victims of domestic abuse have been protected through game-changing domestic abuse protection orders, the Home Office and Ministry of Justice have announced today (25 November).

Launched last November as part of the government's mission to halve violence against women and girls in 10 years, and part of the government's Plan for Change, domestic abuse protection orders offer victims stronger, more flexible protection. Unlike some previous orders, domestic abuse protection orders have no minimum or maximum duration, allowing courts to set conditions that remain in place for as long as necessary to keep victims safe.

Ahead of an expected national rollout, domestic abuse protection orders are currently live in Greater Manchester, 3 London boroughs (Croydon, Bromley and Sutton), Cleveland and North Wales. They are also used by the British Transport Police. More than 1,000 have been issued across the UK since their launch in November 2024.

Once issued, the orders mean perpetrators have to comply with a range of restrictions – such as electronic monitoring or ‘tagging' and attendance on behaviour change programmes.

They cover all forms of domestic abuse, including economic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and ‘honour'-based abuse. They can be issued by all courts and applied for not only by the police, but also by third parties such as local authorities, charities and social services, or even by victims themselves.

Breaching an order is a criminal offence punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

Today's announcement follows continued progress to tackle domestic abuse including through ‘Raneem's Law', which embeds the first domestic abuse specialists in 5 999 control rooms, ahead of the government's violence against women and girls strategy.

With around 3.8 million people estimated to have experienced domestic abuse in the last year, domestic abuse protection orders are another vital tool as the government steps up efforts to hold abusers accountable.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said:

I know from first-hand experience the devastating impact domestic abuse has on victims.

But with more than 1,000 domestic abuse protection orders issued across England and Wales, we are taking real, practical steps to protect victims that really do make a difference.

This is more than words – I will do whatever it takes to make this country safer for women and girls.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

These protection orders are the first and strongest of their kind. Victims need more than promises – they need real action, which is what we've delivered as part of our Plan for Change. 

Over 1,000 domestic abuse protection orders issued means over 1,000 victims protected from abuse. We will ensure the same for thousands more as part of our mission to halve the epidemic that is violence against women and girls in this country.

Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker, Protecting Vulnerable People lead, from Greater Manchester Police said:

We are incredibly proud to have had the chance to shape the domestic abuse protection order pilot and be the largest pilot area in the country.

Our dedicated teams have secured over 500 orders in the last year, and we are now live in 8 of 10 Greater Manchester districts.

The protection of victims is our utmost priority, and this pilot has afforded us greater opportunities to safeguard vulnerable people, without them needing to provide a statement or go to court and take robust action against perpetrators.

Commander Clair Kelland, Met Police public protection lead, said: 

The Met is committed to securing justice for victims of domestic abuse and the protection of victims is our priority.  

Although still in the early stages, the pilot scheme is proving these new powers are essential in preventing abuse from escalating and ensuring offenders face swift action. The 180 domestic abuse protection orders issued and enforced within the pilot are helping to prevent repeat victims.  

The orders are another tool to protect victims, alongside driving up charges for serious offences including rape and serious sexual assault, and providing additional training to officers.

Head of the Protection of Vulnerable People Unit, North Wales Police Detective Superintendent Jackie Downes, said:

In North Wales, domestic abuse protection orders were introduced in April this year. With partner agencies we have implemented over 70 to date, targeting high risk, high harm offenders of domestic abuse.

We have seen the positive impacts these new orders can have, with courts taking any breaches seriously, ensuring victims and families are better protected against perpetrators of domestic abuse.

We will continue to build on this success working with partners across the region to develop our practice and increase the use of domestic abuse protection orders.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said:

I'm pleased to see that police forces have quickly embraced domestic abuse protection orders and are regularly using them to offer protection and security to people facing domestic abuse.

Despite serving a population of just over 600,000 people, Cleveland Police are responsible for around a quarter of all domestic abuse protection orders secured nationally – showcasing a clear commitment to offering this new tool to as many victims as possible. 

However, securing protection orders is only part of the picture. We now need the wider criminal justice system to meaningfully enforce them and for other partners to play a role in delivering the behavioural change required to reduce violence against women and girls permanently.

Kyla Kirkpatrick, Director of the Drive Partnership, said:

The launch of new domestic abuse protection orders marked an important step in recognising and responding to all forms of domestic abuse, increasing protections for victim-survivors, and empowering victim-survivors and their networks to apply for protections, and we welcome the milestone of more than 1,000 domestic abuse protection orders being secured since launch.

Importantly, the new domestic abuse protection orders seek to increase both the immediate and long-term safety of victim-survivors through increased restrictions for perpetrators and positive requirements to challenge and change harmful behaviour.

These measures are vital to ensuring that, when we identify perpetrators, we effectively respond to reduce their risk and break the cycle of domestic abuse for adult and child victim-survivors.