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No longer a civil matter? The design and use of protection orders for domestic violence in England and Wales

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)
2446 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper assesses the design and use of protection orders for domestic violence in England and Wales. It draws on data from 400 police domestic violence incidents and 65 interviews with victims/survivors, as well as new analysis of government justice data from England and Wales, to address a gap in literature on protection orders.

The paper identifies an increasing civil-criminal ‘hybridisation’ of protection orders in England and Wales, and argues that a dual regime has developed, with orders issued by police and/or in criminal proceedings increasingly privileged (and enforced) over victim-led civil orders. Whilst protection orders are being used – as intended – flexibly to protect domestic violence victims, the way they are applied in practice risks downgrading domestic violence in criminal justice terms.

The conclusions are especially timely in light of current Government proposals to rationalise protection orders by introducing a single overarching Domestic Abuse Protection Order in England and Wales.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)133-153
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Social Welfare and Family Law
Volume42
Issue number2
Early online date1 Jun 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 5 - Gender Equality
    SDG 5 Gender Equality
  2. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Research Groups and Themes

  • SPS Centre for Gender and Violence Research
  • SPS Social Harm Crime and Violence Research Centre

Keywords

  • protection orders
  • non molestation orders
  • restraining orders
  • domestic violence protection orders
  • civil justice
  • injunction
  • Domestic Abuse Bill
  • Domestic Abuse Protection Order

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  • Justice, Inequality and Gender Based Violence

    Hester, M. (Principal Investigator), Abrahams, H. A. (Co-Investigator), Aghtaie, N. (Co-Investigator), Bates, L. (Co-Investigator), Eisenstadt, N. (Co-Investigator), Gangoli, G. (Co-Investigator), Matolcsi, A. (Co-Investigator), Mulvihill, N. (Co-Investigator), Patsios, D. (Co-Investigator), Turner, W. (Co-Investigator), Walker, S.-J. (Co-Investigator), Williamson, E. (Co-Investigator), Robinson, A. (Co-Investigator), McPhee, D. (Co-Investigator), Rumney, P. (Co-Investigator), Williams, A. (Co-Investigator), Sterk, G. (Collaborator) & Magnusson, L. (Principal Investigator)

    1/10/15 → 18/05/18

    Project: Research

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