New domestic powers 'keep abusers from victims'
GettyA police force has given out more than 40 protection orders to protect victims of domestic abuse.
Cleveland Police, which joined a pilot scheme in March, said officers had greater powers to keep abusers away from victims by getting them into drug and alcohol rehab or to wear GPS tags.
In April, 43 domestic abuse protection orders (DAPOs) were issued throughout Teesside, including 12 in Stockton, with two breaches which led to prosecutions.
Mandy MacKinnon, Stockton Council's wellbeing manager, said the orders could tackle "coercive and controlling" behaviour and they did not rely on victims going to the police, as friends and family could apply on their behalf.
Other forces taking part in the pilot include the Met Police in London, Greater Manchester Police and the British Transport Police, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it hoped to roll out the scheme elsewhere after monitoring its effectiveness.
'Engage in rehabilitation'
The new powers allow police to issue orders against abusers even when there is not enough evidence to charge them.
Currently, forces can issue orders preventing alleged perpetrators from contacting victims for up to 28 days, but the new orders have no time restrictions.
Ms MacKinnon told a Safer Stockton Partnership meeting that police had to act within 48 hours of receiving an application for a DAPO.
"The applications can be made online, they can be made by the police, by the victim or by a third party, that's a new element," she said.
"They can make this application on behalf of the victim - it's moving away from that victim-blaming aspect."
She added there were challenges getting people to attend initial assessments but police were working to "smooth out the kinks" in the process.
Supt John Wrintmore, district commander for Stockton, said perpetrators with drug and alcohol addictions now had a "duty to engage in some rehabilitation".