Greater protection for domestic abuse victims in Cleveland

Victims in Cleveland will be better protected from domestic abusers following the expansion of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs).

Victims and their friends, families or support workers in the area can apply for a DAPO at Teesside Combined Court Centre from today (5 March). Police can also apply on their behalf for protection against abusers.

DAPOs can provide stronger protection for victims as they can impose exclusion zones through tagging and mandate attendance at behaviour change programmes.

These orders cover all types of domestic abuse – including physical, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse and stalking – and can be issued by all courts.

Today’s news comes during National Domestic Abuse Awareness Week, and after the successful launch in Greater Manchester and London in November.

Since then, there have been multiple convictions for breach of an order with some perpetrators already behind bars – with a maximum sentence of up to five years.

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

This is a positive step forward in better protecting victims of domestic abuse and in our mission to halve violence against women and girls.

The evidence from Manchester and London is that DAPOs are working, and the rollout in Cleveland will provide more victims and families with the immediate protection they deserve from the vile abusers controlling their lives.

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

We know that the current protective order regime isn’t working – any victim will tell you that. But seeing the results of these new orders so far has shown they can properly safeguard and protect victims.