Restraining Orders

This section defines domestic abuse for the purposes of getting a relief from abuse order.  Domestic abuse means that one or more of the following are done between family or household members:

• attempting to cause or causing physical harm;
• placing someone in fear of immediate (“imminent”) serious physical harm;
• child abuse;
• stalking (see subsection (6));
• sexual assault (see subsection (5)); or
• coercive controlling behavior.¹

Coercive controlling behavior means a pattern of behavior that unreasonably interferes with someone’s free will and personal liberty, including:

• isolation from friends, relatives, or other sources of support;
• preventing access to basic necessities;
• controlling or monitoring movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services;
• using force, threat, or intimidation, including threats based on immigration status, to make the victim:
  
  • act in a way the victim has the right not to act; or
  • not act in a way the victim has the right to act;
• animal cruelty meant to intimidate the victim; or
• forced sex acts or threats of a sexual nature, including:
  
  • threatened acts of sexual conduct;
  • threats based on the victim’s sexuality; or
  • threats to release sexual images.²

¹ VT ST 15 § 1101(1)
² VT ST 15 § 1101(2)