Gender Equality United States Project #21037

Legal Help for Domestic Violence Victims

by National Network to End Domestic Violence

Project Report | Dec 14, 2021
Legal Information Promotes Safety

By By Stacey Saver | WomensLaw Director

WomensLaw is the first and only free, legal resource for survivors of domestic & dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking that offers safety and legal information and resources in "plain language" in both English and Spanish. We are dedicated to empowering survivors and their advocates to make informed decisions about their options, safety, and legal remedies.

From May 1, 2021, to July 31, 2021, 1,095,280 people accessed the life-saving information that is housed on WomensLaw.org.

In the past three months (May 1, 2021, to July 31, 2021), we worked directly with 1,423 victims, survivors, and their friends, advocates, or family members through our Email Hotline. This unique hotline offers victims a direct line to ask a question of our attorneys and volunteers, who specialize in domestic violence and the law. We respond to every request as quickly as possible but take time to respond thoughtfully and include individualized resources and information. We frequently correspond back and forth with the individuals who write in, and many are grateful for our assistance and support. We also hear from the advocates providing direct services to victims who use WomensLaw.org to support their clients. Some responses we have received over the Email Hotline are below:

“…Your support, kindness and guidance has made such a difference in the difficult situation I am currently in. To reach out as a vulnerable person and be met with such compassion and understanding is something I will take with me as I continue onwards...” (WomensLaw Email Hotline, June 2021)

And:

“I cannot thank you enough for your enormous help, and all the research that you have done for us. This actually made me cry.” (WomensLaw Email Hotline, June 2021)

We answer questions and provide our expertise on a wide range of topics - including custody, divorce, relocation, and more. Often, victims or their loved ones are writing in to us to get some basic legal information about their situation when they cannot find legal representation. Although we do not provide legal advice, we can explain relevant laws that may help the victim to make an informed decision.

It is especially rewarding when someone tells us that we explained the information and provided resources in a way that helps them understand their options and think through what to do next. Here is one reply that we received on the Email Hotline from a victim trying to better understand their legal options:

“Thank you for your heartfelt and informative reply to my email. I appreciate the straight forward, kind and thorough letter you sent, thank you. Thank you for sending so much information my way. You have helped me to understand more of the judicial process. I appreciate your kind assistance, your time, positive support and the detailed help you sent. Thank you again beyond words I can express.”

(WomensLaw Email Hotline response, July 2021)

We are constantly updating our website (http://www.WomensLaw.org) – making changes and additions to it daily. Our priority is to make sure that the legal information that we have is current with changes in the laws and to continue to add new information that would be useful for victims and survivors of abuse. Between May 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021, we made the following updates:

We updated our California Workplace Protections section based upon statutory changes. We also added an additional revenge porn statute on our California Crimes page as well as the related Selected California Statues. Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon!
On our California Domestic Violence Restraining Orders page, based on changes to the law, we updated What if the abuser violates the order? to include information about probation or a conditional sentence as a possible punishment, as well as the increased penalties for multiple violations. We also updated What is the legal definition of domestic violence in California? to expand upon the definition for disturbing one’s peace and coercive control. Changes made in English.
In our Colorado Protection Orders for Stalking, Sexual Assault, Physical Harm/Threats, and Abuse of Elderly/At-Risk Adult page, we updated the legal definition of mistreatment in What is the legal definition of mistreatment/abuse of the elderly or an at-risk adult? based on changes to the law. Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come. We also added one related statute to our Selected Colorado Statutes page.
Based on 2021 changes to the law, we added information to three questions in English and Spanish in our D.C. State Gun Laws page about not being able to get a firearm when there is an ex parte extreme risk protection order in place, not just a final order. In addition, in our D.C. Extreme Risk Protection Orders section, we updated How do I get an extreme risk protection order? in our to remove the requirement to attach evidence and supporting document to the petition when filing, We also updated What types of orders are there? How long do they last? to increase the length of an order from 10 days to 14 days as well as to explain that the judge can extend an ex parte order for additional 14-day periods in English and Spanish.
With the help of ASISTA, we completely re-wrote our VAWA Battered Spouse or Child Waivers section, adding 14 new questions, and our VAWA Self-petitions section, with 27 new questions. Changes made in English; Spanish soon to come.
In our Florida Injunction for Protections Against Domestic Violence section, based on changes to the law, we included protections available for pets in What protections can I get in an injunction for protection against domestic violence? We also improved the question by delineating adding the protections you can get in temporary, ex parte order. In addition, in our Florida Custody section, we revised I am a member of the child’s extended family. Can I get temporary or concurrent custody of the child? based on changes to the law about the requirements to file for concurrent custody and to include the definition of extended family member, which now includes “fictive kin.” Changes made in English; Spanish coming soon. We also added a related statute to our Selected Florida Statutes page.
We updated in English and Spanish the Restraining Order Cases During COVID-19 section and the Virtual Hearings During COVID-19 section to remove outdated information now that the pandemic is improving.
Based on changes to the law, we updated Who can get a protective order? in our Louisiana Protective Orders (for Domestic Abuse) section to include the following additional definitions of “family members” and “household members”: the other parent of the abuser’s child; the other foster parent of the abuser’s foster child; any child who live(d) in the same home as the abuser; and other relatives, known in the law as ”ascendants” and ”descendants”. Additionally, in What is the legal definition of domestic abuse in Louisiana? we clarified the definition of ”abuse of an adult” that is committed by an adult child to explain that “abuse” can include physical or mental injury, sexual abuse, abandonment, isolation, exploitation, or extortion of funds or other things of value.
On our Minnesota Local Programs page, we updated 17 local programs and added 27 new programs. All changes were made in English and, for the first time, all resources were translated into Spanish!
Based on 2021 changes to the law that replaced the term “mentally defective” with “incapable of appraising the nature of a person’s conduct” in the definition of sexual abuse, we updated What is the legal definition of sexual abuse? in our Oregon Sexual Abuse Protection Orders page in English. Spanish soon to come!
In our Pennsylvania Custody section, we revised If my child was conceived from sexual assault, can the offender get custody or visitation? to include information about filing a petition to terminate the offender’s parental rights in English and Spanish. We also added four related statutes to our Selected Pennsylvania Statutes section in English.
Starting on the translation of our 27th state, we translated the Wisconsin Domestic Abuse Injunctions page into Spanish!

See all of the changes and updates we have made on our What’s New page.

Thank you for supporting WomensLaw and the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).

Stay in the loop! Sign up for occasional action alerts and updates from NNEDV at: NNEDV.org/signup

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