Court orders protecting abuse victims more than double in a year
Northumbria Police see a more than doubling of the number of Domestic Violence Prevention Orders handed out
The number of orders given out in Tyne and Wear, to protect victims of domestic abuse, have more than doubled in a year.
Northumbria Police gave out 355 Domestic Violence Prevention Orders (DVPOs) in 2017 - compared with 146 the year before.
Concerns have been raised by women's refuges in our region that police forces don't seem to have the resources to effectively ensure these orders are enforced.
Detective Superintendent Mick Paterson, of Northumbria Police's Safeguarding Department, said:
"These figures are very encouraging as it shows vulnerable victims are being properly safeguarded.
"Domestic Violence Prevention Orders (DVPOs) allow us to stop perpetrators from contacting their victims for up to 28 days and this gives those victims the time and space they really need.
"This time can be valuable for these vulnerable men and women to allow them to get their lives back on track away from an abusive relationship they have become trapped in.
"We know from our figures that incidents of domestic violence reported to police are not rising anywhere near the same rate as the number of DVPOs being issued.
"This gives me great confidence that vulnerable victims of domestic abuse are being better protected than ever before as officers become more comfortable with the legislation.
"Protecting vulnerable victims of crime is one of our top priorities and it makes me proud that victim satisfaction among victims of these types of crime is as high as 97 per cent.
"We do hope these figures give victims confidence to report abuse to the police. It shows that we will take action and that they will be treated with compassion and kindness."