The Scottish government is introducing a Bill to the devolved Parliament to create new protective orders to keep a suspected perpetrator of domestic abuse away from the homes of victims or others at risk.
Under the proposed legislation, police would be able to directly impose a short-term order and apply to a court for a longer-term order to be put in place.
Unlike existing measures, such as non-harassment orders and exclusion orders, the protective orders would not require the person at risk to personally make an application to court.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the new measures would reduce the risk of those subjected to domestic abuse becoming homeless. “It should not be the victims of abuse who lose their homes, it should be the perpetrators,” she said.
The proposed legalisation is a follow on from the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act, which came into force on 1 April, and which criminalises psychological domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
