Less than half of all applications for restraining orders in the past decade have resulted in their issuance. According to data from the Director of Public Prosecutions, last year saw 1,256 requests for restraining orders, with only 502 being granted.

The Danish Stalking Center believes that the high number of rejections reflects the difficulty in gathering sufficient evidence to prove the necessity of a restraining order. The center’s director, Rikke Nue Møller, highlights the problem that the burden of proof falls on the victim, requiring extensive documentation for an order to be issued.

The number of restraining order applications has remained relatively stable between 1,100 and 1,400 annually since 2019, with the number of issued orders ranging from 400 to 600 during the same period.

To obtain a restraining order, applicants must document instances of threats, violence, or other transgressive behavior from the person the order is intended to target.

Recent discussions about protecting women from harassment and stalking have followed a series of femicides and the implementation of a pilot program involving reverse ankle monitors. This program, which began on July 1st, alerts the police if an individual prohibited from contacting a victim of harassment or stalking approaches the victim’s residence.