Court orders could be set up to help victims of domestic violence create ‘safe zones’ at home during the coronavirus lockdown, experts say.
Non molestation orders can be used to create an area ‘out-of-bounds’ to abusers. Breaching such an order is punishable by up to five years in prison, the National Centre for Domestic Violence says.
Bosses admit that these orders won’t work in every circumstance, but say they could offer added protection to some cases as living conditions become strained under Britain’s new lockdown restrictions.
CEO Mark Groves says the zoning orders are not a new concept and could technically be set up through the civil courts within 24 hours. “This situation in lockdown is all new,” he says. “We are witnessing the