Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO)

A Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) is a new court order which is currently being piloted in particular areas in England and Wales. DAPO’s were introduced under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and are designed to provide comprehensive protection for victims of domestic abuse.

It enables the police, victims, or third parties (such as a support service, social worker, family member or friend) to apply for a court order that can impose restrictions or obligations on an alleged abuser.

Unlike Non-Molestation Orders or Occupation Orders, DAPOs have been specifically designed to be more flexible and are designed to work both at early stages and in long-term safety planning.

A DAPO can be applied for if you are experiencing any form of domestic abuse, including:

• Physical or sexual abuse
• Emotional or psychological abuse
• Economic or financial abuse
• Coercive control or threatening behaviour
• Harassment or stalking by a partner, ex-partner, or family member

• A DAPO may be made by a court during ongoing criminal, family, or civil proceedings.
• They do not have a specified maximum or minimum duration and can last as long as is necessary to protect the victim from domestic abuse.
• They can include wide-ranging conditions, such as:
  • No contact with the victim (directly or indirectly)
  • Prohibition from visiting the victim’s home, workplace, or children’s school
  • Mandated attendance at behavioural change or substance misuse programmes subject to suitability assessments.
  • Electronic monitoring
• Mandatory notification requirements meaning a person subject to a DAPO must tell the police their name and address within 3 days of the DAPO being made.
• Breach of a DAPO is a criminal offence, punishable by up to 5 years’ imprisonment.

You can apply for a DAPO if you are over 16 years old and the perpetrator is over 18 years old.  DAPOs are currently available in certain areas only.

The current areas are:

From 27 November 2024

• London boroughs of Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley.

If the perpetrator lives in Sutton, you can apply either in Croydon or Bromley.

• Greater Manchester
• The British Transport Police are also able to apply for a DAPO

From 5 March 2025

• Hartlepool
• Middlesbrough
• Redcar
• Cleveland
• Stockton-on-Tees

From 28 April 2025

• North Wales (Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham)

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.