Harassment & Domestic Violence
If you are experiencing harassment or domestic violence, you need to seek help urgently.
We can give you advice about making an application to court for protection. We know these steps are often taken in very difficult circumstances, and we have helped our clients through these stages. It is important to feel supported during this time. We are responsive in a crisis and can take immediate action.
Legally binding court orders can, in some circumstances, be made without the other person being informed of your application until after the court order has been made and served on them.
The main types of orders the court can grant are:
- Non-Molestation Orders – these are orders prohibiting the other person from using or threatening violence against you or a child of the family. Such orders can also prohibit the other person from intimidating, harassing and pestering you or a child of the family. In addition, these orders can also prohibit the other person from instructing or encouraging another person to take these actions.
- Occupation Orders – these orders regulate the occupation of the family home. So for example, it can prohibit the other person from coming into your bedroom. Or it can exclude the other person from the home altogether, even if he or she is the legal owner of that home.
Every case is different, but we strongly suggest you take the following steps if you find yourself in this difficult situation:
- Report any incidents to the police
- Go to your GP if you have been assaulted
- Ask a trusted friend to take photographs of any injuries
- If abusive messages are left on your telephone, then keep the messages
- Make diary notes so that you can recall the dates and incidents
These can all be important pieces of evidence if you decide to apply to court for protection.
You are not alone
Domestic abuse occurs across society. Although government figures show that domestic abuse consists mainly of violence by men against women, it is not restricted to these circumstances. Men too are abused by their partners and children can also be caught up in domestic violence.
Domestic violence is any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (be it physical or emotional) between adults who are or have been in a relationship together, or between family members, regardless of gender or sexuality.
Although domestic violence is chronically under reported, research estimates it:
- will affect 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men in their lifetime
- on average, two women are killed every week by a current or former male partner
- accounts for 16% of all violent crime
- one incident of domestic violence is reported to the police every minute
- 77% of victims of domestic violence are women
- as more repeat victims than any other crime (on average there will have been 35 assaults before a victim calls the police)
If you wish to discuss matters please call us on Newton Abbot 01626 33 33 80 or complete our Request a Call Back form and we will call you back, at a time to suit you, free of charge.
