Cleveland latest force to pilot new measures to protect domestic abuse victims

The new Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) will provide flexible, longer-term protection for victims by imposing exclusion zones through tagging and mandate attendance at behaviour change programmes.

They were successfully launched 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.

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.

The DAPO will not have a minimum or maximum duration, and breach of any of its requirements, without reasonable excuse, will be a criminal offence; carrying a maximum penalty of up to five years imprisonment, a fine or both.

Cleveland Police’s Chief Superintendent Caroline McGlade said: “Tackling domestic abuse and protecting victims is a priority for Cleveland Police.  Every victim of domestic abuse deserves the absolute best service and we need to do all we can to safeguard them.

“Unlike some existing protections, which can only be enforced for 28 days, the new DAPOs will have no time restrictions, meaning victims are protected for as long as needed to stay safe.

“Friends and family of victims will also be able to apply for the new orders on behalf of the victim, as well as victims themselves and the police. This will reduce victim engagement with the criminal justice system, if necessary as we know this is a process which can be daunting for some victims.”

These new orders will replace the current Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs).

They were initially launched across Greater Manchester, three London boroughs and with British Transport Police and are set to be introduced across North Wales in April ahead of an expected national rollout

Cleveland police and crime commissioner Matt Storey said: “As well as holding abusers to account for the harm they cause, it’s important police use a range of powers to protect victims and survivors from further harm.

“These new protection orders offer Cleveland Police a more powerful tool to tackle domestic abuse, imposing more wide-reaching restrictions on perpetrators and greater consequences for breaches.

“As one of the few police forces in the country to trial the orders, I will be closely monitoring how their use in the Cleveland Police area helps to keep victims and survivors safe.”

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, added: “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.

“Making sure that this new system works safety, initially on a smaller scale, is paramount to delivering real change for victims as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

“Rolling out these orders to Cleveland will help more victims and provide valuable insight to inform a wider expansion to other areas in the country. This is a welcome and important next step as we work to deliver what we promised.”

Jim Hope, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North East, said: “No victim or family should live in fear of their abuser.

“I welcome the introduction of DAPOs in Cleveland to enable the CPS, alongside the police and courts, to better safeguard victims and their families from this horrific offending.

“Our prosecutors can apply for an order on acquittal or conviction and, as other pilot areas have already done, stand ready to prosecute anyone who breaches an order.”

The Cleveland pilot, which commenced on Wednesday (March 5) as part of National Domestic Abuse Awareness Week, will last for two years. It will then be evaluated externally.