GENERAL DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OCCURS WHEN ONE PERSON USES INAPPROPRIATE POWER & CONTROL OVER AN INTIMATE PARTNER.
  • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PATTERN OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIORS.

THESE ABUSIVE BEHAVIORS MAY INCLUDE

  • VERBAL
  • SEXUAL
  • PHYSICAL
  • ECONOMIC
  • EMOTIONAL

LEGAL DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 18-6-800.3

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MEANS AN ACT OR THREATENED ACT OF VIOLENCE UPON A PERSON WITH WHOM THE ACTOR IS OR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALSO INCLUDES ANY OTHER CRIME AGAINST A PERSON OR AGAINST PROPERTY OR ANY MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE VIOLATION AGAINST A PERSON OR AGAINST PROPERTY, WHEN USED AS A METHOD OF COERCION, CONTROL, PUNISHMENT, INTIMIDATION OR REVENGE DIRECTED AGAINST A PERSON WITH WHOM THE ACTOR IS OR HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP MEANS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPOUSES, FORMER SPOUSES, PAST OR PRESENT UNMARRIED COUPLES, OR PERSONS WHO ARE BOTH THE PARENTS OF THE SAME CHILD REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSONS HAVE BEEN MARRIED OR HAVE LIVED TOGETHER AT ANY TIME.

Prepared by Lynn C. Tolson, author of Beyond the Tears: A True Survivor’s Story

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