Domestic Violence is when a family, household member, or someone you are/were in a dating relationship with uses physical violence, threats, intimidation and/or emotional, sexual, and economic abuse to maintain power and control over the other person, usually within an intimate relationship.  Domestic Violence is most often a combination of psychological and physical actions; the physical results are the most visible.  Domestic Violence is a pattern of conduct in which one intimate partner uses force or threats of force to control the other person.

Ohio law has determined that some forms of abuse do not constitute criminal behavior or behavior requiring the Court’s intervention.  For example, psychological battering, economic abuse, or verbal harassment without evidence of threats or physical harm are not recognized by Ohio law as domestic violence that allows a petitioner to obtain a protection order or request that criminal charges be filed.

When a family, household member or someone you are/were in a dating relationship with tries to cause you bodily harm by hitting, pushing, beating, of physically hurting you, that is domestic violence.  When a family, household member, or someone you are/were in a dating relationship with stalks or forces sexual relations on you, that is domestic violence.  When a family, household member, or someone you are/were in a dating relationship with abuses your children, that is domestic violence.

Need more information?  Click on the link to access The Ohio Domestic Violence Network.