Assault & Domestic Violence

Find out more about what qualifies as assault or domestic violence.

 I. What defines a household or family member?

• Spouse or former spouse
• Parent
• Child
• Sibling
• Other family
• Co-habitant

II. Types of Domestic Violence

Psychological Violence:

• Verbal abuse such as threats and name calling; unreasonable possessiveness; isolating the victim from his or her support system such as family and friends; destroying physical property

Physical Violence:

• Domestic abuse assault, domestic abuse assault and battery, domestic abuse strangulation, and domestic abuse with a dangerous weapon

Sexual Abuse:

• Forced sexual advances or attempts at forcing sexual advances

Emotional:

• An attack on an individual’s mental state

Economic:

• Coercion through forced financial co-dependency

III. Penalties for domestic violence convictions

A first-time domestic violence/abuse charge is a misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 1 year in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. First-time domestic violence offenses can have a much larger penalty, if an aggravating factor is present:
Domestic Abuse in the presence of a minor:

• Minimum of six months in jail

Domestic Abuse, subsequent offense: felony,

• Up to four years in prison

Domestic Abuse with a dangerous weapon:

• Up to ten years in prison

Domestic Abuse with great bodily injury:

• Up to ten years in prison

Domestic Abuse with a firearm or deadly weapon:

• Up to life in prison