This site aims to give straightforward advice on help available through the Civil Courts, by which we mean the County Court, for victims of domestic violence. However, we are not legally qualified and cannot give legal advice. The information that follows is intended to be of assistance and is a general guide to the applicable law and procedure. It is therefore not a substitute for professional legal advice given to you in the knowledge of your own particular circumstances. We cannot therefore accept liability for any loss or damage which might be incurred through reliance upon the information contained in this site.

In this information, we will refer to the victim as "she" and the abuser as "he". They are labels of convenience and if you are a man suffering domestic violence or in a same-sex relationship with a violent partner, the Court will be just as anxious to offer you protection. Please do not be put off by the labels we have used.

If you are suffering domestic violence at the hands of your spose, partner, housemate (or ex-spouse, ex-partner or ex-housemate) or a relative then you are entitled to ask the Civil Courts to make an order under the Family Law Act 1996. If your tormentor does not fall within one of these catagories of person, you may still be able to get an order preventing him from harassing you under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, although claims under this Act are outside the scope of this site and you should seek professional advice if you think you may need to use this procedure.