Closed petition Make all restraining orders permanent

Victims should not have to deal with the trauma of court and reliving their abuse yearly to be judged whether they still need protection. If you need protection from a person for a year, you need it forever.

The onus is on victims to seek a restraining order, which can only last a year, requiring them to relive their trauma yearly in the hopes of it getting extended. The assumption is made that if the perpetrator does not breach the order during that year then they are no longer a danger to the victim. Considering 2 women are killed a week in the UK by a partner or ex-partner (Office for National Statistics, 2019), it should be made easier to stay safe once you have left your abuser.