How do I know if the kind of violence I have experienced is covered by the Act?

The Act covers cases where an action is

• carried out intentionally or recklessly in a way that causes injury or property damage and harms or intimidates a family member. This would include acts such as hitting or punching that cause injury, and breaking furniture or other items for the purpose of scaring someone. Family violence can also include not taking action in cases where it will harm or intimidate someone, such as not providing food.
• sufficient to intimidate a family member by creating a reasonable fear of injury or property damage. This would include threats.
• the forced confinement of a family member, for example, where someone is prevented from leaving the house or a room in the house.
• considered to be stalking, which is defined as repeated conduct which a person knows or ought to know is harassment of a family member and which causes a family member to fear for another family member's safety. Stalking includes conduct such as
  • following a family member from place to place;
  • communicating directly or indirectly with the family member or anyone the family member knows;
  • watching a place where the family member or someone they know is present, or they work or live;
  • making threats to the family member or anyone they know;
  • any other kind of conduct that a judge may determine is stalking.
• unwanted sexual contact.

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WARNING: The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only.
If you have a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.