How to Apply for a Family Violence Intervention Order in Victoria

Transcript

In Victoria, protection from family violence can start from your kitchen table. The court that makes family violence intervention orders takes applications online, and applying costs nothing. Here is every path to an order, and what happens after you press submit. First, the rule that outranks every other rule. If you are in danger right now, call triple zero and get somewhere safe. For advice at any hour of the day or night, Safe Steps is Victoria's Family Violence Response Line. Both numbers are on your screen.

The online path is the quiet one you fill in the application for a Family Violence Intervention Order on the court website in your own time, and it can be heard at any court location in the State. If it is not safe to do it online, phone the court instead, and a registrar will help you. If police come to an incident, they can act on the spot. A Family Violence Safety Notice protects you immediately, for up to fourteen days, while the court application it starts gets underway. Police can also apply for the full order for you at no cost.

Speed matters, so hear this part: When your application reaches a magistrate, they can make an interim order that same day without the other person being in the room to keep you safe until the full hearing. Breaking an interim order is a crime straight away. Who can be protected? Partners and former partners, children, relatives and others in a family like relationship, including carers. If the trouble is with a neighbour or a stranger, Victoria uses a different order for that, and our separate video covers it. Before you apply, gather what you have messages, photos, medical notes, dates.

A registrar can help with the form, but evidence is yours to bring. And if you would like a lawyer to look at your situation first, our hotline is free to call, any hour.