R (Rabess) v Commissioner of the Police for the Metropolis - 'Scream Quietly or the Neighbours will Hear': Domestic violence, 'nuisance neighbours' and the public/private dichotomy revisited [2008] CFLQ 95

This commentary examines a High Court decision on the application of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to situations of domestic violence. It considers the scope of the prohibitions possible under the legislation and the extent to which ASBOs can provide a useful tool for tackling domestic violence. It argues that ASBOs have potential as a practical and communicative tool. However care needs to be exercised if the message that domestic violence is a 'public' problem is to be effectively communicated through the ASBO route.