When someone is charged with a family-violence crime, the victim often recants and decides to drop charges because of the family connection. The law, however, is not so forgiving, and requires the person charged with the crime to still go to court. This is to ensure that the charges were not withdrawn out of fear and that such behavior might be prevented in the future. Penalties for family-violence crimes can be very steep, including imprisonment, fines, and civil suits.
Orders of Protection
To stop abusive behavior that occurs within a family or dating relationship, one can get an order of protection issued from a judge. This protection order makes it illegal for the abuser to come near the victim, whether in a public place or at home.
Orders of protection can be issued for up to two years and may also include mandatory counseling, intervention programs, and payment of spousal or child support. Orders of protection are available against spouses, former spouses, blood relatives, siblings, roommates, relatives by marriage, a person you have dated, someone you share a child with, and foster children.
