What can the police charge my partner with?
There is no specific criminal charge for family violence. The police must figure out which crime to charge your partner with based on what your partner did to you.
Here are some examples of criminal charges:
- Assault: Your partner touches you on purpose without your permission. It is also assault if your partner threatens to touch you.
- Assault with a weapon: Your partner uses a weapon, such as a knife or other object, while assaulting you.
- Assault causing bodily harm: Your partner injures you physically leaving more than a scratch or bruise.
- Aggravated assault: Your partner seriously injures you or puts your life in danger.
- Criminal harassment: Your partner makes you fear for your safety or someone else’s safety, like your children. For example, they often make angry phone calls, show up to your workplace, or park outside your home to watch you.
- Forcible confinement: Your partner forces you to stay somewhere by threatening you or physically stopping you from leaving.
- Sexual assault: Your partner assaults you in a sexual way, such as rape, or doing things like kissing or touching you without your permission. It does not matter if you are married. Sexual assault can be combined with other types of assault. For example, sexual assault with a weapon.
- Uttering threats: Your partner threatens to hurt or kill you, your children, or your pets, or to damage your property.
The police can also charge your partner for abuse that happened in the past.
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