A major shift in the UK’s response to domestic abuse has quietly taken root, with the launch of new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) designed to close dangerous legal gaps and offer earlier, stronger protection to victims. The new orders are currently being trialled in select police forces across the country and could mark a pivotal moment in how society intervenes in coercive and violent relationships.
What Are DAPOs and How Do They Work?
Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, the UK government introduced a new two-stage protection system comprising Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and the longer-term Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs). These powers allow police and courts to intervene even when there is insufficient evidence for criminal charges.
According to The Guardian, DAPNs can be issued by police immediately to provide urgent safety, while DAPOs—applied for within 48 hours—can be enforced across civil, family, and criminal courts. Unlike older mechanisms such as non-molestation orders, DAPOs can include a broad range of conditions tailored to each case, including:
- Prohibiting contact with the victim or their children
- Exclusion from specified locations
- Wearing a GPS tag
- Mandating participation in drug, alcohol, or behavioural rehabilitation
Critically, DAPOs are not limited to 28 days like previous orders and can last much longer depending on the case, with breaches carrying criminal penalties of up to five years in prison. Additionally, family courts now have the power to impose GPS tagging on high-risk offenders for up to 12 months—a measure that was previously limited to police or criminal courts.
The pilot was rolled out in late 2024 and early 2025 across police forces including Greater Manchester, Croydon, Cleveland Police, North Wales, and British Transport Police. In Cleveland, where the scheme began in March, over 40 DAPOs have already been issued.
A Quiet Revolution: Third-Party Applications Now Allowed
Perhaps the most transformative element of the pilot scheme is the allowance for third-party applications. As BBC News reports, friends, family members, or professionals such as support workers or healthcare providers can now apply for a DAPO on behalf of a victim.
This development could be life-saving. Victims of domestic abuse often don’t report out of fear—fear of being disbelieved, losing their children, or triggering further violence from the perpetrator. Allowing a trusted third party to act breaks this paralysis.
Why Victims Often Can’t Report Abuse
Many survivors do not recognise coercive control for what it is until years into the relationship. Control over finances, who they can see, what they wear, and even how they think or feel can be subtle and hard to describe.
Others do understand the danger but feel powerless to act. According to Women’s Aid, up to 85% of domestic abuse victims never contact the police, and emotional and psychological abuse often goes entirely unreported.
There’s also the reality of trauma bonding, shame, and isolation. Victims may rationalise their partner’s behaviour, especially in cases without visible physical violence. Third-party intervention helps bridge this gap between perception and protection.
Jess Phillips, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said the new measures were intended to be far more effective than the previous orders, which victims and advocates frequently described as being disregarded without consequence.
What’s Next?
The Ministry of Justice will evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot over the next two years. If successful, the orders could be rolled out nationally. Legal experts have praised the framework for streamlining protective measures and removing the bureaucratic hurdles that previously hindered quick, decisive action.
Campaigners warn, however, that implementation must be matched by robust training. Police officers, judges, and professionals must understand the nuances of coercive control and psychological abuse to apply the powers appropriately.
Nevertheless, these changes signal a long-overdue recognition of how domestic abuse operates in the real world—where silence is often survival and help must come from those watching, not just those suffering.
Featured image: New UK domestic abuse orders help victims. Source: cherryandbees / Adobe Stock.
