Legal protection

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Know your rights

If you're frightened of your partner (or ex-partner) you have a legal right to be protected. Being assaulted by someone you know, or live with, is just as much a crime as violence from a stranger, and often more dangerous.

You can:

• Apply for a civil court order to stop your partner/abuser from harassing or hurting you, or to keep out of or away from your home
• Get help with emergency or temporary accommodation
• Get help from the Family Courts to protect your children   

Get an injunction

You can apply for an ‘injunction’ if you’ve been the victim of domestic abuse. An injunction is a court order that either:

• Protects you or your child from being harmed or threatened by the person who’s abused you - this is called a ‘non-molestation order’
• Decides who can live in the family home or enter the surrounding area - this is called an ‘occupation order’

Read the getting an injunction page on the Gov.uk website for details about applying for an injunction.

Legal aid

You can apply for an injunction yourself in person, through the Citizens Advice CourtNav service or other emergency injunction services. As there are often ongoing, complex issues to navigate particularly where there will be child contact arrangements to make, speaking to a family solicitor can be very helpful. 

Some solicitors offer free initial appointments or fixed fee options, and you may also be able to get free legal representation through legal aid. Legal aid can help pay for legal advice, family mediation and representation at a court and you can check to see if you are eligible through the online legal aid checker. 

Citizens Advice and Flag DV are local services who can help you and provide details of local solicitors who offer legal aid or you can access a searchable list of solicitors who specialise in family law who are based locally.