Police have secured a six-month Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) to protect a woman who has been subjected to threats of violence by a family member in North Manchester.
A 32-year-old man was identified as a perpetrator of domestic abuse earlier this month, after it was reported that he had turned up at the victim’s property, thrown items around and made threats to harm anyone who came near him, having placed a flick knife on the counter next to him for intimidation.
He left and returned a short time later in a similar aggressive manner, causing the victim to get to a place of safety and call us for support.
The victim recounted psychological torment at the hands of this family member, who had left her in a constant state of anxiety. She feared when he would come to her property or see her out, had restricted her being able to see other relatives and had made various threats to her. His behaviour had become increasingly agitated and aggressive, and he would regularly send her pictures of weapons to pressure her into doing what he wanted.
Whilst the Crown Prosecution Service evidential threshold could not be met for filing criminal charges, a DAPO was secured on last week at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court, to ensure that this man can no longer contact the victim.
As an extra measure to safeguard the victim, we applied for the perpetrator to be electronically monitored during the DAPO period, so we can robustly manage his movements and ensure compliance with the order.
Detective Superintendent Jen Tattersall, GMP’s lead for domestic abuse, said: “This perpetrator’s behaviour is just another example of the impact coercive control can have on victims.
“With DAPOs, unlike previously available orders, we can protect victims from perpetrators of psychological abuse such as coercive and controlling behaviour, rather than just physical abuse.
“With the electronic monitoring, we hope that the victim can begin to rebuild her confidence in living her daily life, without fear of harm at the hands of this perpetrator.”
We have supported the recent launch of the Mayor’s latest campaign to tackle gender-based violence in GM, with a focus on coercive and controlling behaviour.
