In our Victorian legal system, Intervention Orders come in two forms: Personal Safety Intervention Orders, and Family Violence Intervention Orders (an IVO).

The type of Intervention Order sought will depend upon the nature of the relationship the applicant (the person who seeks the IVO), and the respondent (the person alleged to have been responsible for the behaviour, and to whom the IVO is directed).

Where one person alleges abuse at the hands of a family member or domestic partner, the appropriate Intervention Order sought with be a Family Violence Intervention Order.  Where one person seeks protection in response to an allegation of stalking by another, the IVO sought will be a Personal Safety Intervention Order.

The law governing the determination of applications for both types of Orders can be found in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) and the  Personal Safety Intervention Orders Act 2010 (Vic).

The purpose of commencing an application for an IVO is to obtain a Court Order conferring protection upon the applicant (in the Family Violence context, the applicant is referred to as the Affected Family Member) on either an interim or final basis depending upon the particular circumstances of the case.