Protection from Domestic Abuse

This can take the form of direct violence, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour. The Police are there to assist you in taking action to protect you and any children you may have, as well as prosecuting abusers.

Our team is here to listen and advise you of your legal options in a caring and professional manner. We can assist you with applications for injunction orders such as non-molestation and occupation orders to allow you to feel safe in your own home. These injunctions can be made by the court initially without the other party knowing to help provide you with protection. Once the Order is made, then the Court will inform the other party of the order made without notice against them, and whilst they retain the right to challenge any order, in the interim they would have to follow whatever is stated in the order or risk being put in prison.

In any Court cases involving children or financial matters where there is a threat of domestic abuse, the Courts have plenty of ways to assist you when it comes to any hearings that take place. Whether this be separate rooms while waiting for the hearing to begin or a screen in place so that the other party cannot see you and you cannot see them, these measures are in place to make you feel safe and protected within the court.

If any case involves a threat or risk of domestic abuse then there is no expectation on either party that mediation is viable or that it is necessary. This is one of the few exceptions that allow parties not to be asked to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, which are normally required before Court proceedings can begin.

If there are any children involved in your relationship between yourself and your abuser, we are here to help you to protect them, whether this be by helping you to prevent your partner from contacting the children directly or indirectly or by pointing you in the direction of viable contact centres where your children would be supervised in any contact with the other party.