Gov. Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 307 into law Monday, giving judges the flexibility to protect victims of domestic violence and rape.

The bill by state Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, closes a loophole in the law by allowing judges to issue protective orders when sentencing a defendant to supervised probation.

The bill was sponsored by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.

“Victims have a constitutional right to reasonable protection from a defendant and to have their safety considered in setting release conditions for a defendant,” the district attorney said in a statement sent to lawmakers. “However, without this clarification in the law, some domestic violence and sexual assault victims may not be protected.”

Ensuring victim safety is paramount given the growing number of offenses.

“In California there are more than 410 domestic abuse incidents reported every day,” said Pavley. “The federal Centers for Disease Control estimates that there are two million female victims of rape in the state.”

Fran Pavley represents western portions of the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate.