But it's a safeguard that comes at a cost, Scott said. Protection orders stain records and reputations. They put people at risk of being summarily jailed. They get people thrown out of their homes. They keep parents from their children.
Orders stoke the tension in already difficult disputes.
The orders are temporary, but the damage can be lasting, Scott said. Instead, domestic violence complaints should be handled entirely through the criminal system, she said. It metes out tougher penalties for offenders and more protections for the accused than the civil process. Criminal courts also can issue no-contact orders against people suspected of domestic violence. Scott has spent the past six months organizing an effort to challenge the law's shortcomings.