Intervention Orders in Victoria

There are two types of intervention orders (IVOs) in Victoria:

1. A Family Violence Intervention Order is an order made by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to protect a person from a family member. There is a specific test applied by the court in determining whether a Family Violence Intervention Order should be made. The primary concerns of the court are whether there has been family violence and whether it is likely to happen again. These applications are governed by the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic).
2. A Personal Safety Intervention Order is an order made by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to protect a person who is not a family member. There is a different test applied by the court in determining whether a Personal Safety Intervention Order should be made. The primary concerns of the court are whether the respondent has committed “prohibited behaviour” and whether it is likely to happen again. These applications are governed by the Personal Safety Intervention Order Act 2010 (Vic)

Both Family Violence Intervention Orders and Personal Safety Intervention Orders are designed to protect members of the community.