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Intervention Orders, also known as Restraining Orders, Domestic Violence Orders, or Apprehended Violence Orders (AVO) are orders to restrict the behaviour or actions of a particular person. They usually come about through an assault, threat(s), intimidation, or harassment of a person or persons. In South Australia, Intervention Orders can be issued by the police or the Magistrates Court to prevent an act of abuse or violence.
There are two different types of Intervention Orders:
All Intervention Orders are covered under the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009.
All Intervention Orders are Interim (temporary) Orders until the Court finalises them.
PIIOs are orders that the police can issue and serve on an alleged perpetrator. These usually come about through reports of domestic violence. If police reasonably suspect that a person will commit an act of abuse against another unless some intervention is provided, then issuing an Interim Intervention Order is deemed appropriate in the circumstances.
All Intervention Orders are Interim (temporary) Orders until the Court either:
An Intervention Order begins once the police personally serve the document to the respondent by hand.
If the police are not willing or prepared to issue a PIIO (usually due to a lack of evidence), then you can submit an application for a Private Intervention Order. You will be required to provide evidence supporting abuse, threats, intimidation, and/or harassment. This can be in the form of texts, emails, letters, etc. to outline the behaviour and actions of the Defendant.
Threats and intimidation against you and/or your family members and physical injuries are the most common reasons Intervention Orders are issued. Additionally, emotional or psychological harm as well as financial, social, and personal harm can also constitute grounds for an Intervention Order.
Intervention Orders can prevent someone who is harassing, threatening, or abusing you from having any contact with you. Some of the orders may include the following:
Distances can be put in place so that the defendant cannot come within 50 m or 100 m of you, your home, or your workplace.
Section 7 of the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009 (SA) provides that:

o Any person against whom it is suspected the Defendant will commit an act of abuse; or
o Any child who may hear or witness, or otherwise be exposed to the effects of, an act of abuse committed by the defendant against a person.
If you have been served either a PIIO or an Intervention Order you will have a Court date to answer to the Intervention Order. If you do not attend court, the order may be made final in your absence.
It is important not to breach the conditions of an Intervention Order. Once served with an Intervention Order you must obey it and may be charged with a criminal offence if ignored or breached. Penalties may apply, including fines and terms of imprisonment.
Receiving an Intervention Order is not a criminal matter, and you will not have a criminal record if one is issued against you. However, if you disobey and breach the order, then you may be charged with a criminal offence and receive a criminal record for the breach.
An Intervention Order is indefinite. They are ongoing orders and will remain in place until removed by the Court.
You can consent to certain orders without admission in order to finalise Intervention Orders. For example, you may be able to consent to Intervention Orders being finalised without any admission if you agree to orders such as:
We at times consent to these above conditions of Intervention Orders as no person is legally allowed to breach them in any respect.
It is important to understand that an Intervention Order is not a criminal charge.
A person subject to an Intervention Order will not receive a criminal conviction, and it will not appear on their criminal antecedent’s report.
But an Intervention Order will and can appear on certain background checks, Police Clearances, and Working with Children Checks.
What you must ask yourself is the following:
The burden of proof lies with the Applicant and an Intervention Order application will be decided on the balance of probabilities.
*Section 6 of the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009 (SA) defines the grounds for the issuing of an Intervention Order.
The legislation has given the word abuse a very broad definition.
"Abuse" may take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, or economic abuse.
An act is an "act of abuse" against a person if it results in or is intended to result in:
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Service Area: South Australia, Australia-Wide