If you do not feel safe — what to do first

Your safety comes before the legal process

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call emergency services. Everything else in this guide — the orders, the paperwork, the negotiations — can wait. Nothing here is more important than getting you and your children somewhere safe.

Around-the-clock support

You do not have to sort this out alone at midnight. National helplines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — numbers are listed in the support panel below this article.

A counsellor can help you think through safety planning, what documents to gather, and what your legal options look like.

Protection orders

An Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) in NSW, an Intervention Order (IVO) in VIC, and a Domestic Violence Order (DVO) in QLD each do the same thing: a court order that restricts what the other person can do, where they can go, and who they can contact.

You can apply for an order yourself, or the police can apply on your behalf. Police are required to apply for an order when they attend a family violence incident and there is sufficient grounds. Orders can be made as interim (emergency) orders very quickly — sometimes the same day.

How legal steps interact with risk

Legal proceedings can sometimes escalate risk. Serving documents, court hearings, and property negotiations can all create moments of heightened danger. A family lawyer with family violence experience can help you think through timing and logistics — not just the paperwork.

If you have safety concerns about attending court, speak to the court registry. Most courts have safety protocols, separate waiting rooms, and screens or other measures available for people with protection orders.

What documents to gather when it is safe

If you have the opportunity to do so safely, collecting the following can help your legal position later: identification documents, financial records, evidence of violence (messages, photos, medical records, police reports), and details of joint assets. A domestic violence support worker can help you plan this safely.

Children and family violence

Family violence is a primary consideration in all parenting matters. If you have concerns about children's safety, raise them early with your lawyer. Courts take family violence allegations seriously and have processes for urgent applications.

This article is AI-generated demo content for reviewer purposes — verify helplines and wording with Maree before launch.