Domestic Abuse
Read all about our domestic abuse FAQs
Coercive behaviour is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten the victim.
Controlling behaviour can be a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Economic (including financial) abuse means any behaviour that has a substantial adverse effect on an individual’s ability to acquire, use or maintain money or other property or obtain goods or services. In the workplace, for example, this could amount to controlling working hours or someone’s ability to participate in work-related activities; making the victim late for work or controlling their travel to or from work; and/or isolating the victim from colleagues.
Domestic abuse can also include so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage
Post-separation abuse is domestic abuse that takes place after a relationship has ended. Controlling or coercive behaviour after a relationship ends and that took place after 5 April 2023 is a criminal offence – the perpetrator and employee no longer have to be in a relationship or living together when the behaviour occurred. Signs that an employee may be experiencing post-separation abuse can include their perpetrator showing up to the workplace or to staff social events unexpectedly.
Spiritual abuse, which is characterised by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour, which may be perpetrated (but not exclusively) in a religious context.
Technology-facilitated abuse involves the use of technology to perpetrate domestic abuse and has become increasingly common.
Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets can be misused to stalk, harass, impersonate, and threaten victims.
The growing use of internet-connected home devices (such as smart speakers) may also provide perpetrators with a wider and more sophisticated range of tools to track and harm their victims. Employers should remain vigilant about the different forms of technology that employees have access to within the workplace or when they are working from home, which could be targeted by a perpetrator and prevent the employee from carrying out their role effectively.
In the workplace, some examples of technology-facilitated abuse include, hacking into, monitoring, or controlling email accounts, coercing the victim to share their passwords, limiting or controlling access to the internet or other equipment, or using GPS locators on items such as phones and computers.
Protection Order
Read all about our protection order FAQs
A Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) is a new civil order designed to provide flexible, longer-term protection.
DAPOs are being trialled in a small number of areas across the UK (including Greater Manchester and parts of London) to assess their effectiveness and impact prior to being rolled out nationally. If you would like to know more about Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO) Click Here
You must submit a sworn witness statement along with any supporting evidence. This could include text messages, photographs, crime reference numbers, or recordings that demonstrate the need for protection
Generally, a NMO won’t be granted if bail conditions are in place and are providing sufficient protection. However, if those conditions are breached, and you face significant risk of harm, you can then apply for the order.
A legal injunction issued by the civil family court to protect you from harassment or harm by a partner or family member. A Non-Molestation Order (NMO) typically lasts for 6 to 12 months but can be extended or made indefinite based on circumstances. You can apply for an extension or change its terms if your situation changes, especially if there are concerns about children involved. If you would like to know more about NMOs, please Click Here
A Restraining Order is a criminal court order designed to protect a victim from harassment, abuse or unwanted contact following criminal proceedings. It can prohibit the perpetrator from contacting you directly or indirectly, attending your home or workplace, or engaging in specific behaviours.Â
A Restraining Order can only be made as part of criminal proceedings. An individual cannot apply independently for a Restraining Order through the criminal courts. Instead, they provide views and evidence to the police/Crown Prosecution Service, who then decide whether to seek an order.Â
The police gather evidence and provide information (including the person’s views) but they do not apply to the court themselves – only the CPS or the court can trigger the order. Â
Breaching a Restraining Order is a criminal offence.Â
If you would like to find out more about Restraining Orders, please Click HereÂ
A court order that defines who can occupy a shared residence, such as a marital home. It can restrict a perpetrator (Respondent) from entering the property and is often issued alongside an NMO to ensure your safety. If you would like to know more about Occupation Orders Click Here
There is no court fee to apply for a NMO or Occupation Order. Legal Aid is government-funded support for victims of domestic abuse, covering the cost of legal representation.
To qualify, you must meet criteria regarding recent domestic abuse incidents and your financial status, which requires documentation like ID and bank statements for assessment.
The Domestic Abuse Alliance provides a pro bono (free) service to support your court application if you are not eligible for legal aid funding, or alternatively you can be referred to a solicitor to proceed on a private basis.
Yes, your presence at the hearing is usually required when applying for a court order. However, if necessary, the Judge may allow you to attend via video link, especially in cases where safety is a concern.
When applying for a legal injunction you will need to provide a sworn witness statement. Typically, the police statement cannot be shared with a third-party organisation. Completing your statement for a court order usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes.
When court proceedings are issued ‘with notice’ the perpetrator (Respondent) will be notified and will be obliged to attend court. Or the Judge may issue the application on an emergency ‘ex-parte’ (without notice) basis, meaning it can proceed without informing the Respondent.
You (the Applicant) will then meet with your legal representative (if appointed) and the Judge, who will assess the urgency of your application and may issue a temporary NMO.
Once a hearing is scheduled, the Respondent will be served with the interim order and relevant court documents. If the situation isn’t deemed urgent, the process may take longer and be put ‘on notice,’ giving the Respondent a chance to contest the order in court before it is finalised.
WEPROTECT
Read all about our WEPROTECT FAQs
Unfortuantly not, if you don’t have a Smart phone you will not be able to download it. If you don’t have a phone just call us on 0800 101 7110 or email us at partners@domestic-abuse.co.uk
No its totally free.
Once you complete the form, a member of team will be in touch with you via email or phone, making sure if they call to only ring during the time you enter in to the form.
Partner
Read all about our partners FAQs
You can register to be a partner by completing the online form, once we have received it and verified you, we will add your logo to the partners page. See our partners page for more details
