Other Protective Orders for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Stalking

For more information on Sexual Assault Protection Orders, click here

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROTECTION ORDERS

26.50RCW - A protection order is a civil order issued by the court that tells the alleged perpetrator to stay away from the victim, the victim's children, and the place(s) the victim lives or works. Generally if the alleged perpetrator does not obey the order, they can be arrested. To obtain an order, a victim must file paperwork with the court and have a hearing where the alleged perpetrator will have an opportunity to respond to the legal request for a protective order. If a victim is sixteen or older they can seek a protection order without involving their parent or guardian.

To get a domestic violence protection order, the victim must have a domestic relationship with the person who assaulted her/him. This means the victim and the perpetrator must be in a family or household relationship with each other to qualify for this type of order. Qualifying relationships include the following: a person to whom you are married or formerly married, or live with or formerly lived with, have children with, or are related by blood or marriage or that you dated or formerly dated. If you do not meet these relationship requirements you are not eligible for a domestic violence protection order.

ANTI-HARASSMENT ORDER

10.14RCW - An anti-harassment order is a civil protection order that prohibits unlawful harassment. This type of protective order is often sought by victims of sexual assault who do not meet the relationship requirement under a domestic violence protection order.

To get an anti-harassment order a victim must be able to show that the person who assaulted them has engaged in unlawful harassment. "Unlawful harassment" means a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at the victim which seriously alarms, annoys, harasses, or is detrimental to the victim, and which also serves no legitimate or lawful purpose. "Course of conduct" means a series of acts over a period of time, however short, all with a similar purpose.

Sometimes it is difficult to show that there is a pattern if there was only one incident of sexual assault. However, a victim may still be eligible for such an order.

VULNERABLE ADULT PROTECTION ORDER

74.34.110RCW - A vulnerable adult protection order is civil protection order that is brought on behalf of a vulnerable adult.

WHO IS A VULNERABLE ADULT?

74.34.020(13)RCW - Under the law, a vulnerable adult is generally someone over the age of sixty who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for himself or herself; or is found incapacitated or who has a developmental disability or is admitted to any facility; or is receiving services from home health, hospice, or home care agencies or is receiving services from an individual provider.

(1) A Sexual Assault Protection Order may also be obtained as part of a criminal case. If a victim reports the sexual assault to law enforcement and the assailant is being prosecuted , a judge may order a Sexual Assault Protection Order to keep the assailant away from the victim when he/she is released from custody.

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