Getting support and safety planning

You are not alone. Help is available.

Anti-violence agencies in your community can help people who have experienced or are experiencing violence. They support key pieces of safety planning. They can also help people get financial assistance, housing and other supports to increase their safety.

On this page

• Options for legal protection
• What is a protection order?
• What is a peace bond?
• What to do after a protection order or peace bond is granted
• What to do if a protection order or peace bond is not followed
• Protection order registry
• What if my application was denied – but I still don’t feel safe?
• Developing a safety plan
• What to do if you’re concerned about your children’s safety and visits with the other parent
• Protecting your children from being taken without your consent

Options for legal protection

If you are afraid for your safety or the safety of your children, but you are not in immediate danger, you can:  

• Apply for a family law protection order 
• Ask the police for a peace bond

What is a protection order?

A family law protection order is a civil order made in family court. It can only be used to help protect a family member from another family member. Usually, a protection order is made against a spouse. A protection order can also protect your child (or children). If there are extended family members living in the home (such as your parents, or a step-child), and they need protection, a protection order could protect them as well.

All protection orders have a list of conditions that a person must follow. The order will usually say your family member must have no direct or indirect contact with you.  

Once a judge issues the protection order: 

• The court registry will draft the order (unless the judge unless instructs otherwise)  
• It will send the order to the Protection Order Registry, which records both the order and the proof it was served
• Police forces across B.C. have access to the registry and can act if the order is not followed

If a person named in a protection order was not in court when the order was made, the order must be formally delivered to (or “served on”) them so that they are aware of it. In those cases, the Ministry of Attorney General will work with you to have the order served. In most cases, there is no cost to applicants for this service.  

It is a criminal offence to not obey the conditions in a protection order. If conditions are not obeyed, the police can enforce the order under the Criminal Code. 

What is a peace bond?

A peace bond is made under the Criminal Code of Canada to protect you from someone you are afraid of. It requires them to “keep the peace” and follow any other conditions placed on them in the peace bond. It can protect you from anyone, including someone you have only dated. 

A court can order the person to: 

• Not contact you, your partner, or your child 
• Not come to your residence or place of employment 
• Not call you on the phone
• Not send you text messages or letters
• Not use drugs or alcohol
• Not have weapons in their possession, or
• Follow any other condition the court considers necessary to prevent harm to you

A peace bond is often an option when the person you need protection from does not fall under the definition of a family member under the Family Law Act.  

You can ask the the police or RCMP for a peace bond or you can apply for one yourself.  

Keep in mind, it can be challenging to get a peace bond on your own. The Rise Women’s Legal Centre offers a helpful guide called Seeking a Peace Bond that may help you with your application. 

What to do after a protection order or peace bond is granted

Getting a protection order or peace bond is a major step toward protecting yourself and your family. Once the order is in place, it is important to stay proactive about maintaining your safety and ensuring the order remains effective.  

Here are some ways to stay safe and prepared after the order is granted: 

Keep track of the expiry date

Every order has an end date. It’s important to mark this date on your calendar and start thinking ahead. As the expiry approaches, ask yourself: Do I still feel safe? Is another order needed? Give yourself enough time to connect with victim services or legal support to apply for another protection order if needed. 

Update the order if circumstances have changed

If you move, change jobs, or if your child’s daycare or school changes, the order may need to be updated. If the order restricts the other person from attending specific places, those details must be current for the order to be enforced. Sometimes an entirely new condition is needed. You can apply to have the conditions changed at any time. 

Keep copies of your order

It is helpful to share the terms of the order with key contacts such as an employer or a child’s school or daycare if the other party is restrained from attending or contacting those places. It may also be helpful to have multiple copies of the order in places where they may be needed in an emergency. This includes: 

• In your purse or wallet 
• In your car 
• At your workplace 
• With trusted friends or family members 

What to do if a protection order or peace bond is not followed

If your partner or other family member does not follow the terms in the protection order or peace bond: 

Call the police. Explain that you have a protection order or peace bond and your partner has not obeyed the order’s conditions. 

In most cases, particularly if you are in danger, the police can arrest your partner and ask Crown counsel to lay a charge. 

Protection order registry

The Protection Order Registry is a confidential database containing all protective orders issued in B.C. 

All safety-related orders made in B.C. go to the Protection Order Registry, including: 

• Family law protection orders 
• Protection orders made to protect children under the Child, Family and Community Service Act 
• Criminal Code peace bonds or bail conditions 

If you don’t have a copy of your protection order or peace bond available when you contact police to report a breach, the police can:

• Phone a central number at any time (day and night) to get up-to-date information about your order 
• Act to enforce the order right away 

What if my application was denied – but I still don’t feel safe? 

If a protection order or peace bond is not granted, it is important to focus on staying safe in other ways. Not having a legal order in place doesn’t mean you’re out of options – and it doesn’t mean you have to face this alone. Talk to family, friends or a trusted professional who can help you make plans. 

Developing a safety plan

Safety planning is a deeply personal and individualized process. It looks at all parts of a survivor’s life, the behavior of the person using violence, and what help is available in the community. Each situation is unique so your safety plan should match your own experiences, needs, and circumstances. A victim support worker can help you with developing a safety plan that is right for you. 

A safety plan typically involves looking at risks and protective factors. Protective factors include things like available supports, financial resources, and social circumstances. This often means using established risk identification tools to help you understand potential dangers and strengths in your environment. 

Safety planning includes practical steps for getting support and staying safe. It can help especially if you are still in the relationship or planning to leave. It includes getting ready for emergencies and considering safety in many areas, such as: 

• Physical safety 
• Emotional safety 
• Legal safety (including protective orders, communication with the opposing party, service of documents and safety in court)
• Technology safety 
• Financial safety 
• Public safety and work safety
• Safety planning for children and pets

Because safety needs can change, safety plans may need re-assessment after major life changes. This can include:  

• Deciding to leave the relationship 
• If the police have become involved
• If the person using violence has been released from custody after an arrest  
• If legal actions begin (including child support, parenting time and arrangements, property division)
• Receiving important legal papers, such as court orders or notices  
• Court cases or legal matter comes to an end 
• Starting a new relationship  

For more safety planning information, you can check out How to plan for your safety if you are in an abusive relationship from Public Health Canada.

What to do if you’re concerned about your children’s safety and visits with the other parent

When parents with children do not live together, no matter what the reason, they need to make important decisions, such as: 

• How they will care for their children 
• How each parent will be involved in their children’s lives

If there are concerns about family violence, these decisions are more complicated. 

The Family Law Act says only the best interests of the child must be considered when making any decisions about the care of children after separation. This includes arrangements about:

• Guardianship 
• Parenting time 
• Parental responsibilities
• Contact with a child

When considering what arrangements are in your child’s best interests, you and the court must consider what will best protect your child’s: 

• Physical, psychological, and emotional safety 
• Security 
• Well-being 

The “best interests of the child” is a legal analysis and requires considering a number of factors that includes the impact of any family violence and criminal, civil or child protection issues. 

If you are afraid for your child’s safety and are concerned about care of and time with your children, you can seek a parenting arrangement that:  

• Limits or defines the other parent’s parental responsibilities and parenting time
• Places conditions on the parent’s time with the child, such as supervised visits or restrictions on alcohol use for a period of time before, or during, their time with the child

If the court needs more information about what type of arrangement is best, it may order a parenting assessment. Parenting assessments often include:

• Interviews with both parents and the child
• Reports developed by other people about your family’s situation and each parent’s capacity to care for the child

Parenting assessments can be done for free through Family Justice Centres, or for a fee by a private report-writer. 

The Family Law Act gives priority to protection orders where there is a conflict with a family law order. 

Protecting your children from being taken without your consent 

If you fear the other parent may abduct your children, you should talk to a lawyer right away. They can help you understand what to do to prevent that from happening. 

You may be seeking an agreement or order about parenting arrangements or contact. If so, you can include a term that states that without your permission, the other parent cannot take the children:

• Out of a certain area
• To another province, or
• Outside Canada

If someone might try to take a child out of the province or country, the court can order that person to give up their passport or the child’s passport. As well, the court can order the parent to transfer money or property to a third party as security. 

If there is a significant risk, the court may:

• Restrict the person’s parenting time or contact, or
• Order conditions to prevent the child’s removal

You might have an order that restricts who has time with your child. If so, give copies to the principal at your child’s school and to any other adults in your child's life, including:

• Teachers
• Child care providers
• Coaches, and
• Carpool drivers

Make sure they understand the order and who, specifically, is allowed to pick up your child. 

For more information, see International Child Abductions. These pages are mostly about international abductions. But they also contain general information about what you can do if you think your children may be abducted, either within or outside Canada.