<P> Although the restrained person and the protected person may be of either gender, restraining orders most commonly protect a woman against a male alleged abuser . A California study found that 72% of restraining orders active in the state at the time protected a woman against a male abuser . The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence uses female pronouns to refer to petitioners and male pronouns to refer to abusers due to the fact that most petitioners are women and most abusers are men . </P> <P> In English law, a non-molestation order may be granted under Section 42 of the Family Law Act 1996 . Non-molestation orders are a type of injunction used to protect an individual from intimidation or harassment . Breaching a non-molestation order is a criminal offence . Under the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004, cohabiting same - sex couples are able to seek a non-molestation order . Non-molestation orders sought for protection from domestic violence qualify for legal aid regardless of the applicant's income . </P> <P> Federal law requires that all states give "full faith and credit" to every portion of a restraining order issued by any state provided that certain minimum due process requirements are met . Thus a state with very lax standards for issuing a restraining order may enter such a protective order, and every state and federal territory would be required to adhere to every provision . Federal law prohibits any person who is subject to a state protective order from possessing a firearm, provided that the protected party is an intimate partner, meaning a spouse or former spouse, or a person with whom the protected party has had a child . Violating a restraining order is a deportable offense . </P> <P> Some states (e.g. Mississippi) may also call a restraining order a peace bond and are similar to ASBO laws in the UK . Minnesota law provides for an Order for Protection (OFP) and a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO). </P>

What are the rules to a restraining order