The first step is to apply for an Interim Protection Order. This is an Order made by the Family Court to protect people from domestic violence where the Court is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence that someone is committing, or has committed an act of domestic violence on you or any member of your family and you or a family member is likely to be either physically or sexually assaulted as a result of such domestic violence if this order is not issued immediately.

It is an order for your protection and for the protection of your children from a violent person.

You can apply for a Protection Order if you are now, or used to be, in a domestic relationship with a person who is being violent towards you. Domestic relationship covers;

 (a) if you are or were married to that person, whether in accordance to law, custom or religion;

(b) you live or lived together with that person in a relationship in the nature of marriage, although you are not, or were not, married to each other;

(c) you are the parents of a child or are persons who have or had parental responsibility for that child;

(d) you are family members related by blood or marriage;

(e) you are family members related by legal or customary adoption;

(f) you are or were in an engagement, courtship or customary relationship, including an actual or perceived intimate or sexual relationship of any duration with that person; e.g. girlfriend/boyfriend relationship; or

(g) you share or recently shared the same house or home with that person.

Lawyers, Village Representatives, Child Welfare Officers, counsellors, health service providers, social workers or teachers or any other persons approved by the Court can also apply for protection orders on behalf of another person. The application however shall be brought with the written consent of that other person, except where that other person is:

(a) a child; (anyone under the age of 18 years)

(b) suffering from a mental illness;

(c) in a coma and has been unconscious for a period exceeding 6 hours; or

(d) is a person whom the Court reasonably considers unable to provide the required consent.

Any child, or any person on behalf of a child, may apply to the Court for a protection order without the assistance of a parent, legal guardian or any other person.

Domestic violence covers a multitude of physical and psychological abuse.

Under the Family Safety Act 2013 domestic violence means:

(a) physical abuse; (means any act or threatened act of physical violence, injury, torture, or inhumane punishment towards a complainant, e.g. punching, slapping or kicking);

(b) sexual abuse; (any kind of sexual contact you don’t agree to);

(c) emotional, verbal and psychological abuse; (means a pattern of degrading or humiliating conduct towards a complainant, including:

(a) repeated insults, ridicule or name calling;

(b) repeated threats to cause emotional pain

   (c) the repeated exhibition of obsessive   possessiveness or jealousy;

(d) intimidation; (means threatening which makes you scared),

(e) harassment; ― (means engaging in a pattern of conduct that induces the fear of harm to a complainant including:

(a) repeatedly watching or loitering outside of or near the building or place where the complainant resides, works, carries on business, studies or happens to be;

(b) repeatedly making calls or texts by telephone, mobile phone, internet (skype) or by any other technological means, or inducing another person to make calls or texts by telephone or mobile phone to the complainant, whether or not conversation ensues;

(c) repeatedly sending, delivering or causing the delivery of radio messages, letters, telegrams, packages, facsimiles, electronic mail or other objects to the complainant.

(f) stalking; (means repeatedly following, pursuing, or accosting the complainant);  

(g) any other controlling or abusive behaviour towards a complainant where such conduct harms, or may cause imminent harm to, the safety, health or wellbeing of the complainant.