Protection Orders

A protection order can be sought when someone (like your husband, boyfriend, brother or child-minders) is abusing you. Speak to family members or friends that you trust. Abuse, as with rape, is not your fault. You do NOT “deserve” abuse. No-one has the right to hurt you. A new law came into effect in November 1999, called the Domestic Violence Act. Abuse under this Act includes; when a person hurts your body or your feelings, when a person insults you, calls you names or threatens you, when a person harasses you ( bothers you too much ), when someone tries to control what you do, or controls how you use your money, when someone follows you or visits you without your permission. This is called stalking and also when someone does anything to you that can damage you health or wellbeing. Other examples include: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, psychological abuse, economic abuse, intimidation, stalking, damage to property, when you are not living together, entering your property without your permission or any other controlling behaviour that may cause harm to your safety, health or well-being.

Schoeman Attorneys can assist you in attaining a protection order if we are of the opinion that you qualify for this order. Always bear in mind that the violent, oppressive or intimidating action should have taken place not too long ago and that you should always report this behaviour to the South African Police force regardless of whether you think it is serious or not. The Magistrate will ultimately be the only person who will have the deciding vote in granting you this order and for this reason proper legal assistance is required to make sure that your validations contained in the submission form for an order serves as enough proof for this to be granted.