Personal safety intervention orders

If you are in immediate danger or feel unsafe, you should contact the police by calling triple zero (000).

Intervention orders can help if you have a dispute with a:

• neighbour
• friend
• work colleague
• employer
• employee
• tenant
• landlord
• student
• person you know or a stranger.

The intervention order has rules, called ‘conditions’, about how the respondent (the person the order is made against) must not behave towards the applicant or affected person (the person the order protects).

The respondent must follow the conditions of the order. Police may charge a person with a criminal offence if they do not follow (breach) the conditions of the order.  

Intervention orders can be made to protect a person from unwanted behaviours, including:

• Assault
  • hitting, punching, pushing, pulling, kicking, choking
  • sexual assault, including pressuring someone into sexual acts, rape.
• Property damage
  • breaking or damaging a person's property or belongings, including jointly owned property or belongings
  • threatening to damage, destroy or interfere with someone's property.
• Harassment
  • intimidating, bullying, frightening making someone fear for their safety
  • taunting someone about their race, sexuality or gender
  • sending abusive or insulting messages through the phone, email or social media
  • sexual harassment - unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature.
• Threats
  • to harm people (including themselves), property or pets
  • to disclose someone's sexuality or gender identity
  • to post or send images held on a phone or device.
• Stalking - a person may be stalking you if they intend to cause you physical or mental harm by:
  • following or watching you at your home, work or other place you regularly visit
  • contacting you in any way, including by post, phone, text or email
  • putting information online about you, or pretending to be you online
  • tracking your use of internet, email or other electronic communications
  • making you fear for the safety of another person.

You can apply for an intervention order to protect yourself, your children or another person. This may also include protection of your personal property.

You may need the court’s permission (leave of the court) to apply for an intervention order if:

• you are seeking to apply on behalf of a child and you are not the parent or guardian; or
• you are between 14 and 18 years of age.

View the applying for an intervention order page or contact your local court for more information.

The police can also apply for an intervention order if they believe you need protection. Contact your local police station for more information.

Personal safety intervention orders may be known as restraining or apprehended violence orders in other states and territories.

A family violence intervention order can protect you from the behaviours of a family member, partner or ex-partner. Go to the family violence page for more information.

The Children’s Court of Victoria can provide information if you or the person you are applying for an intervention order against is under the age of 18.

Mediation 

If your dispute is non-violent, you can try mediation. Mediation may help you resolve your matter without having to go to court.

The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria provides a mediation service for people willing to talk about their dispute.

A judicial officer can direct you and the other parties to go to mediation or a mediation assessment.