Application For Protection Orders
If you are experiencing family violence, you may apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) or Domestic Exclusion Order (DEO). A PPO is an order to restrain the person against whom the order is made from using family violence against the family member while a Domestic Exclusion Order (DEO), an order for exclusive occupation of the shared residence or any part thereof.
In addition to the PPO and DEO, the court may also issue an Expedited Order (EO), upon satisfaction on a balance of probabilities that family violence has been committed or is likely to be committed against a family member and that it is necessary for the protection of the family member.
You can apply for a PPO against a family member. Under Section 64, a family member may be any of the following:
- Spouse or ex-spouse
- Child, including an adopted child or step-child
- Parent
- In-law
- Siblings
For application of PPO, please click here.
If you are a vulnerable adult, you can apply for a protection order under the Vulnerable Adults Act (VAA). The Vulnerable Adult is a person who meets all of the following elements:
- is 18 years of age or older;
- has mental or physical infirmity, disability or incapacity; and because of it
- is unable to protect himself or herself from abuse, neglect or self-neglect.
You will need to upload the relevant supporting documents at the point of application.
For application of the Vulnerable Adult Act (VAA) Order, please click here.
The Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) seeks to protect individuals from being targets of harassment or stalking, whether online or in real life. The POHA covers the following criminal offences:
- Intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress.
- Causing harassment, alarm or distress.
- Using any threatening, abusive or insulting words to another person to cause fear or provoke violence.
- Publishing any identity information about another person to cause fear or provoke violence.
- Unlawful stalking.
You can read more here.
There is now a dedicated court for the application of POHA. For more information about application of POHA, please click here.
Any person who wishes to seek redress for an offence punishable by law that they believe has been committed against them, can file a Magistrate's Complaint at the State Courts of Singapore.
For more information, please click here.