Section 5 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act deals with:

Section 5, headed "Duties of police officers, service providers and Magistrate", requires them, on receiving a complaint or being present at the scene, to inform the aggrieved person of her rights to relief, to services, to free legal aid and to file a complaint. Protection Officers are appointed under section 8, protection orders are made under section 18, and applications to the Magistrate are filed under section 12.