Helpful guides have been produced by the Police & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) to provide an overview of the criminal and civil law surrounding domestic abuse in Northern Ireland.

Click Legal Remedies – full guidance – Final July 2024 (3) for the full document “Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership – Legal Remedies” document

Click here Legal Remedies At a Glance_Final for the full document “Legal Remedies at a Glance”

Content includes :

1. The Northern Ireland Court System
2. Legal Aid and Financial Eligibility
3. Legislation
4. Family Homes and Domestic Violence (NI) Order 1998
5. Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act NI 2021
6. The Protection from Stalking Act (NI) 2022
7. Protection from Harassment (NI) Order 1997
8. Non-Fatal Strangulation
9. Restraining Orders
10. Non-Molestation Orders and Occupation Orders
11. Policing and Criminal Prosecutions 
12.  Police &  Police Bail
13.  Court Bail
14.  Breach of Bail
15. Prosecuting Cases of Domestic Abuse
16. Other Civil Options 
17. Civil Injunctions Page 18 
18. Undertakings
19. Support for Victims and Witnesses
20. Victim Information Schemes
21. The Victim and Witness Care Unit
22. Special Measures & Remote Evidence Centres
23. Victim Support NI Witness Service & NSPCC 
24. Young Witness Service
25. Operation Encompass  
26. Assist NI – Domestic & Sexual Abuse Advocacy Service
27.  Domestic Violence & Abuse Disclosure Scheme
28. Women’s Aid
29. Men’s Advisory Project
30. Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline
31. The Rainbow Project/HERe NI
32.  Sexual Violence and Abuse Support

Appendices 

1.  Ex-Parte Non-Molestation Order (sample)
2. Inter-Partes Non-Molestation Order (sample)
3. Occupation Order (sample)
4.  Other Useful Links: 
5. MARAC Resources (NI)  Public Protection (PPANI)  Adult Safeguarding
6. Safeguarding Children

Acknowledgements: 

Thanks to the following members of the Protection and Justice Sub Group of the Belfast Area Domestic & Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership for their support and contribution to this Guidance. 

• Anne Caldwell, Solicitor, Flynn & McGettrick 
• Caroline Conway, Public Prosecution Service 
• Claire Edgar, Solicitor, Francis Hanna & Co 
• Emma Crozier, Department of Justice 
• Grainne Murphy, The Bar of Northern Ireland 
• Jim Douglas, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 
• Jude Copeland, Cleaver Fulton Rankin 
• Kate Tyrell, Probation Board of Northern Ireland 
• Keith Mills, Police Service of Northern Ireland 
• Liz Brogan, Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid 
• Lorna Brown, Assist NI 
• Louise Kyne, Public Prosecution Service 
• Niall Collins, Police Service of Northern Ireland 
• Operational Support Branch, N.I. Courts and Tribunals Service 
• Sarah Bruce, Domestic & Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership Co-Ordinator 
• Sarah McGeough, Department of Justice 
• Sonya McMullan, Women’s Aid Federation NI 
• Sophie Nelson, HEReNI 
• Taryn Trainor, Unite the Union