Your legal rights

• You have rights under the criminal law. Being assaulted by someone you know or live with is just as much a crime as violence from a stranger, and often more dangerous. See Police and the criminal prosecution process for more information.
• You can apply for a civil court order to tell your abuser to stop harassing or hurting you, or to keep out of or away from your home. See Getting an injunction for information on these options.
• You can get help with emergency or temporary accommodation. See Where can I go? - Housing options for more information.
• The law can also help to protect children. You can apply to the Family Courts for an order specifying where and with whom the children should live, and regulating contact with the other parent. See Making arrangements for children after separation and in particular the sections on Contact with the other parent, Residence and Threatened abduction.

• The civil law is primarily aimed at protection (or in some cases compensation). A survivor of domestic violence can make an application for an injunction (a court order) either to the Family Proceedings Court or the County Court (usually through her solicitor). Other family proceedings (such as child contact or divorce) also take place in the County Court.
• The criminal law is primarily aimed at punishing the offender. The police together with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) initiate the process. Criminal cases are heard in either the Magistrates' Court or the Crown Court depending on the severity of the charge.