Greater protection for domestic abuse victims in North Wales

Survivors of domestic abuse across North Wales will now be better protected under the expansion of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs), which come into effect today.

Victims, their friends, families or support workers can now apply for these orders in the family courts at Caernarfon, Prestatyn or Wrexham. Police officers are also able to apply on behalf of victims in the magistrates’ courts, offering a new layer of protection against abusers.

The new orders, described as a significant strengthening of existing measures, include the use of GPS tags to monitor perpetrators, exclusion zones to keep abusers away from victims, and requirements to attend substance misuse or mental health interventions.

Unlike current schemes which generally offer protection for up to 28 days, the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders have no maximum duration. They cover all forms of domestic abuse, including physical violence, controlling behaviour, coercive control, economic abuse and stalking, and can be issued by any court.

In the year to March 2024, North Wales Police issued 462 Domestic Violence Protection Notices and made over 350 applications under Clare’s Law, highlighting the scale of the issue in the region.

Today’s move follows the initial launch of DAPOs in Greater Manchester, three London boroughs – Croydon, Bromley and Sutton – and with British Transport Police last November. Cleveland saw the orders rolled out in March. Between 27 November and 31 March, Greater Manchester alone secured over 100 DAPOs, with 45 breaches reported and jail sentences handed down in some cases. Breaching a Domestic Abuse Protection Order can lead to a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:
“The pilot of DAPOs is already helping a number of victims across England, ending the cycle of abuse trapping them in their own homes. I am now pleased to be expanding this to selected areas in my home country of Wales.
“Launching initially in North Wales, the rollout will continue to protect even more victims, and this helps to contribute to our Plan for Change.
“These orders work, and it’s imperative that victims – predominantly women – in pilot areas know where and how to access them. If you’re experiencing abuse, contact your local family court, police, or your support worker today to help access a DAPO for the safety you deserve.”

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, added:
“Time and time again, victims of domestic abuse tell me their safety has been compromised by a system that fails to protect them properly. That’s why these new domestic abuse protection orders are not paper promises – they are real, practical tools that track abusers through electronic tagging, creating exclusion zones, and mandating attendance at behaviour change programmes.
“Rolling out these orders to North Wales marks an important step in gathering more valuable insight as we work towards wider expansion across the country. This is how we’ll deliver on our mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade – through concrete actions that truly protect victims and hold perpetrators to account.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said:
“The UK Government is working to make our communities safer, and it is vital that we reduce violence against women and girls to achieve this goal.
“These new orders provide stronger protection for victims of domestic abuse, simplify their access to help and ensure court powers are more stringent than ever before.
“We are delivering change for people across the country and victims of appalling violence across North Wales will now have the protection they deserve.”

Jenny Hopkins, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Cymru-Wales, commented:
“Domestic Abuse Protection Orders are another vital way for our prosecutors to protect victims of these terrible crimes.
“We can ask the court for an order if someone is convicted, or if they are acquitted, and will be looking to prosecute anybody who breaches that order.”