Under the Domestic Violence Act a person can get a Protection Order to stop another person abusing them, or for the abuser to leave the home.

The advantages of this process under the Act are:

• You do not need an attorney to help you to apply for this kind of court order, so the process is practical and cheap
• It is much quicker because you do not have to use the normal court procedure
• The abuser is not charged with any crime, but just ordered to stop the abusive behaviour. Many women or children may be reluctant to go so far as to lay a charge against a family member which could land the person in jail. The abuser only gets into trouble with the law if s/he disobeys the Protection Order.