To amend the Combating of Domestic Violence Act, 2003, so as to insert a definition of "primary caretaker"; to extend the scope of "domestic relationship" to the primary caretaker of a child and clarify that a domestic relationship between a child and a parent continues even after the child has attained the age of 18 years; to strengthen safeguards against intimidation of complainants; to clarify the necessity to show urgency in order to obtain an interim protection order on an ex parte basis; to amend procedural matters relating to interim protection orders; to apply the provisions for vulnerable witnesses contained in the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 to proceedings relating to protection orders and domestic violence offences; to apply provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977, in relation to production of medical records in evidence in protection order proceedings; to amend the terms of protection orders so as to add a provision directing the respondent to take part in a counselling or treatment programme; to provide a maximum period pertaining to exclusive occupation of a shared residence on communal land; to provide for the issuing of emergency protection orders; to clarify provisions pertaining to custody and access in protection orders; to strengthen the safeguards for children who may be affected by domestic violence; to provide that temporary maintenance orders included in protection orders be treated in the same way as maintenance orders under the Maintenance Act, 2003; to provide for notification of any breach of a protection order to the court; to provide for the initiation of a procedure for suspending a firearm licence in relation to a person involved in the commission of domestic violence; to clarify that protection orders and criminal charges can be pursued simultaneously; to amend the definition of "domestic violence offences" in the First Schedule; and to provide for incidental matters.