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This document provides information on what Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) are, how you can apply for a DAPO, and what it means if a DAPN or DAPO is applied for or made on your behalf. These orders are currently being piloted in certain areas only check Where can I apply for a DAPO to see if this is relevant to you, and what you can do if you live elsewhere.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse or know somebody else who is, you may be able to apply for a DAPO. If you are a victim, it may be that a DAPO is applied for or made on your behalf, for example by the police, by a relative, a social worker or by the court during an ongoing court case.

The Victims Code explains your rights as a victim of crime.

What is domestic abuse?

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 says that abusive behaviour can consist of any of the following: physical or sexual abuse; violent or threatening behaviour; controlling or coercive behaviour; economic abuse; psychological, emotional, or other abuse.

What is a Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN)?

A DAPN is issued by the police to a perpetrator to provide immediate protection to victims of all forms of domestic abuse. A DAPN can be issued where the police officer considers there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person has been abusive towards another person who is aged 16 or over. The perpetrator must be aged 18 or over. The victim and the perpetrator must also be personally connected for example, they are, or have been married or civil partners, are or were in a relationship or are related. DAPN contains specific instructions that the perpetrator must follow, such as staying away from a victims home.

The police will consider whether a DAPN is necessary to protect the victim from further domestic abuse or the risk of domestic abuse. If the police issue a DAPN, they will then also apply for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO). A DAPO application will usually be heard by the magistrates court within 48 hours.

A DAPN is legally binding, and failure to follow its conditions could result in the perpetrator being arrested and brought before a magistrates court.

What is a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO)?

A DAPO can be made by the court to protect victims from all forms of domestic abuse, including non-physical abuse and controlling or coercive behaviour. A DAPO may be made by a court during ongoing criminal, family, or civil proceedings. Applications can also be made by the police, by a victim themselves or by someone who is not directly involved, known as a third party. A third party could include a family member, a friend, or a social worker.

DAPOs are protective orders and can be used to impose restrictions and conditions on a perpetrator of domestic abuse.

• A prohibition is a rule that prevents someone from doing something. For example, this could include stopping a perpetrator from coming within a specified distance of a victims home and/or any specified premises, such as a workplace.
• A DAPO will always include mandatory notification requirements. This means that a perpetrator subject to a DAPO must tell the police their name and address and tell the police of any changes to these. The perpetrator subject to a DAPO is required to first tell the police their name and address within 3 days of a DAPO being made, and after that, within 3 days of any changes to these.
• The court may decide to impose electronic monitoring (known as tagging) on a perpetrator to monitor whether they are following certain rules of the DAPO, for example those that stop a perpetrator from coming within a specified distance of the victims home.
• The court may also decide to impose a positive requirement that calls for the perpetrator to take positive action, such as attending a behaviour change programme.

How long does a DAPO last?

A DAPO has no minimum or maximum duration. The court will consider how long the DAPO needs to last to protect a victim from abuse or the risk of abuse and will specify the duration of the order when it makes a DAPO.

What happens if the conditions of the DAPO are not followed?

A DAPO is legally binding and breaking any of its rules is known as a breach. Breach of a DAPO is a criminal offence and should always be reported. If you are aware that any of the conditions or rules of a DAPO have been broken, you should contact the police.

When a breach of a DAPO is reported, the police will investigate it and work with the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether the case will be charged as a criminal offence. The police will keep you informed about how the case progresses.

If a perpetrator breaches their electronic tag, for instance by entering an area that they are banned from, the police will receive an alert from the electronic monitoring provider by 10:00am the following day. The police will then decide what action to take. This action will not be immediate if you are in danger, you should call 999.

When you report a breach, the police will give you a crime reference number. Keep a note of this in case you need to follow up.

How can I apply for a DAPO?

There are various ways you can apply for or request a DAPO:

• You can report domestic abuse to the police and request that they issue a DAPN or apply for a DAPO on your behalf. The police will decide whether a DAPN is needed initially.
• You can apply for a DAPO yourself in the family court. To do so, you will need to complete a DA1 court form. You can find the form and a list of the courts taking applications at: Apply for a domestic abuse protection order in a family court
• If both you and the person you are seeking protection from are already involved in another family court case, you can also apply directly to that court, using the DA1 form. If youre involved in civil action, find out how to apply in a county court
• If there is a criminal case against the perpetrator for another offence that affected you, the court can also make a DAPO for your protection, regardless of whether the perpetrator has been convicted or acquitted for that offence.

A third party can also apply for a DAPO on your behalf. A third party is someone who is not directly involved in the abuse. For example, this could be a family member, a friend, or social worker. As well as reporting domestic abuse to the police, a third party can make an application to a piloting family court, so long as they have permission from the court. To do this, a third party will need to complete forms DA1 (Application for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order) and DA2 (Application for leave to apply for a Domestic Abuse Protection Order).

You can seek any requirement which may be considered necessary to protect you from domestic abuse or the risk of domestic abuse. The court will consider these requests when making a DAPO.

Is there any cost associated with applying for a DAPO?

There are no court fees for victims applying for a DAPO.

Where can I apply for a DAPO?

As of 27 November 2024, DAPNs and DAPOs are piloted in certain areas only. The current piloting areas are:

• London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley
• Greater Manchester
• The British Transport Police are also able to apply for a DAPO

DAPNs and DAPOs are only available if the perpetrator lives in a piloting area. This means that, if you are a victim of domestic abuse, a DAPO application can be made regardless of where you live, so long as the perpetrator lives in a piloting area. If you dont know where the perpetrator lives, the court or the police will help to find out whether you are able to apply for a DAPO.

If you dont live in a piloting area, it is possible that you may have to travel to attend court hearings at the piloting family or c

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