Abuse Victim Finds Freedom: Domestic Abuse Order Offers a New Life

A woman feels relief after her abuser went to jail. She now feels safe from her ex-partner. A friend reported the abuse to the police, but the woman and her partner denied it at first.

The woman described the relationship as a nightmare. Her ex now has a prison sentence and received a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO). This order is being tested in Greater Manchester as part of a trial to protect victims.

The DAPO trial began in Bury last November, after a campaign for Caroline Gore. Her ex-partner killed her after he broke a restraining order. People want tougher sentences for breaking protection orders.

DAPOs can require abusers to do certain things and they can be monitored with tags. They might need to take programs for behavior changes. The government wants DAPOs to replace older orders.

DAPOs can last a lifetime and police actively check if people follow DAPOs. Greater Manchester Police got 25 DAPOs, and several men went to jail for breaking them. Police believe DAPOs are making a difference.

Three police forces are testing DAPOs. The pilot program started in Bury and expanded to Wigan. Manchester will join on February 17th. Police aim to use DAPOs in tough cases, as victims often don’t support charges now.

DAPOs allow police to act without the victim’s support. Officers must check if the orders are followed, which differs from restraining orders that are not actively monitored.

Old orders involve many visits each month. Police use technology to help with checks. One woman said a DAPO was the “best thing,” feeling it removes her guilt and worry.

Police say the DAPOs changed their culture. They have more staff for domestic abuse cases, with teams now in all twelve policing districts. The team applying for the orders grew.

There are some problems with the orders. Abusers must agree to behavior programs, which address anger, drugs, and alcohol. Only one order required a behavior program.

Police haven’t used electronic tags yet. Courts must balance risk and suspect’s rights. Police think these orders will still help a lot, and in one case, it already made a difference.

One woman says people need to be aware of DAPOs and how serious the orders are. She stated it helped her find a way out and understand her ex.