Family violence is never acceptable — legal protection is available now.

In Victoria, Family Violence Intervention Orders (FVIOs) protect people from family violence by a family member or intimate partner, while Personal Safety Intervention Orders (PSIOs) protect people from harassment, threats, or assault by someone who is not a family member. Police can apply for an FVIO without the victim's consent and on an urgent basis. In other states, equivalent distinctions exist — such as DVOs (domestic violence orders) and personal protection orders. A specialist lawyer can advise on which type of order applies to your situation and which court has jurisdiction.

An interim intervention order is made quickly — sometimes without the respondent being present — to provide immediate protection while the matter is listed for a full hearing. Conditions in interim orders can include prohibiting contact, excluding the respondent from the family home, and preventing the respondent from coming near the protected person's workplace or children's school. A final order is made either by consent or after a contested hearing, and can last for a specified period or be permanent. Only a final order (not an interim order) appears in background checks under most state schemes.

Breach of an intervention order is a criminal offence in all Australian states and territories. In Victoria, for example, contravention of a Family Violence Intervention Order carries a maximum penalty of 2 years' imprisonment (or 5 years for aggravated contravention). Even minor technical breaches — such as inadvertent contact — can result in criminal charges. If you are subject to an IVO and believe you may be in breach, stop all contact immediately and seek legal advice before the situation escalates. A history of breaches significantly impacts sentencing outcomes.

A respondent has the right to be heard before a final order is made — an interim order can be made ex parte (without you being present), but you will be notified and given an opportunity to contest the application before a final order is issued. You can accept the interim order on a "without admissions" basis (meaning you comply with it without accepting the allegations are true), which avoids a contested hearing. Alternatively, you can contest the allegations at a hearing where both parties give evidence. Legal representation is strongly recommended given the potential consequences of a final order.

Under section 60CC of the Family Law Act 1975, protecting a child from physical or psychological harm — including exposure to family violence — is one of two primary considerations in parenting decisions. Courts must be informed of any intervention orders affecting family members. Family violence history is a significant factor that can result in supervised contact, restricted contact, or in serious cases, no contact at all. IVOs and parenting orders must be drafted consistently — where there is a conflict between them, the intervention order generally takes precedence over the parenting order.

Yes. Australia's national Domestic Violence Order (DVO) scheme, which came into effect in 2017, means that a family violence or domestic violence order made in one state or territory is automatically recognised and enforceable in every other state and territory in Australia. You do not need to re-register the order when you move or travel interstate. A breach of a recognised DVO in any jurisdiction is a criminal offence in that jurisdiction, with the penalties of the state where the breach occurs applying.