| The term domestic violence is often subject to | | | | simple civil harassment case. Further, many times the |
| numerous misunderstandings. Because of the lack of | | | | harm caused by one person against the other is |
| clarity of what the term actually means, some | | | | often greater than in other types of civil harassment |
| victims are misled in their search and attempt to | | | | because of the interpersonal relationships involved. |
| have their abuser brought to justice. Therefore it is | | | | Domestic violence covers a large array of abuses. |
| essential to understand the all aspects covered by | | | | This notion is not only restrained to actual physical |
| domestic violence. | | | | abuse, but it can also covers any form of emotional |
| Civil harassment refers to a situation when one | | | | abuse, threatening phone calls, disturbances at the |
| person annoys, harasses, injures, or threatens | | | | place of employment of the victim, stalking. Courts |
| another person. There are many categories of civil | | | | many times take into account any forms of |
| harassment, domestic violence being one of these | | | | dominance and control over the victim. Because of |
| categories. However, domestic violence cases are | | | | this diversity, remedies to stop or prevent further |
| very special and differ from civil harassment cases | | | | domestic violence may be different than remedies |
| because of the relationship between the aggressor | | | | used in a civil harassment case. |
| and the abuser, and because of the diverse forms of | | | | Domestic violence is pervasive and has plagued many |
| domestic violence. | | | | layers of the society. Some studies indicate that |
| First, domestic violence is different from other types | | | | there is absolutely no correlation between education |
| of civil harassment because of the existing | | | | level and domestic violence. There is also no |
| relationship between the victim and his/her aggressor. | | | | correlation with race or religion. |
| A civil harassment case can be considered a domestic | | | | It is important to know how to identify a case of |
| violence case if the two parties are currently married | | | | domestic violence. If you believe you are a victim of |
| now or were formerly married to one another, or if | | | | civil harassment or domestic violence you would be |
| the parties share a blood relationship, or the two | | | | wise to consult an attorney in your area to help you |
| parties are or were living together, or if the two | | | | learn where you stand legally and what your legal |
| parties have a minor child in common. If a case does | | | | options are with respect to the laws in your area |
| not meet this criterion, it may not be considered as a | | | | pertaining to domestic violence and civil harassment. |