I’m a victim of domestic abuse, what should I do?

Being a victim of domestic abuse is incredibly emotionally distressing. You may feel vulnerable, scared and alone. But, no matter how helpless you’re feeling, you can take back control of your life and remove yourself from harm’s way.

Domestic abuse is a particularly difficult area of law that can encompass a range of issues such as harassment and emotional abuse. Depending on your situation, you may need the protection of the court (sometimes immediately) through an injunction.

What is an injunction?

An injunction is a court order that charges someone to do or restrain from doing specific actions. With domestic abuse, there are two injunctions that are commonly put in place:

Non-molestation order

A non-molestation order prevents your ex-partner from threatening or being violent towards you or your children. This includes harassment, intimidation and physical abuse. An NMO also prevents them from coming to your property or school, contacting you in any way (including non-threatening contact) and criminal damage. You can also get an emergency NMO if you need immediate protection. This type of order means that you don’t have to notify your ex-partner that you’re applying.

Occupation order

An occupation order decides who can live in the family home or the surrounding area. In some cases, an occupation order may permit a person to only occupy certain parts of the home. An occupation order can also give times for each party to be in the property.

How can Morecrofts protect me?

Our expert team of family law specialists work with many domestic abuse agencies across the northwest, providing advice, support and assistance to those who need it. The Morecrofts team can advise you of the best steps to take to overcome your situation, however complex it may be.

We have a completely confidential emergency service for anyone requiring immediate protection. We are also able to secure emergency legal aid for most domestic abuse injunctions. Our family law solicitors are experienced in dealing with domestic abuse in all forms (including same-sex relationships).

Morecrofts are also proud producers of the Domestic Abuse Conference that is aimed to help abuse victims, care providers, policymakers, academics and legal professionals to come together to tackle domestic abuse.

Speak to our team

You’re in safe hands with us. We understand how upsetting experiencing domestic abuse can be and can assure you that our team is always here to do whatever they can. To speak to someone on our family law team, call 0151 236 8871, email us at info@morecrofts.co.uk or use our contact form.