What is a personal safety order? What acts of abuse can be the reason to get an order?
A personal safety order is a civil court order that can protect you from an abuser if you are a victim of:
- a sexual offense or attempted sexual offense;
- stalking; or
- repeated credible threats of bodily injury.1
You do not need to have a specific relationship with the abuser to file for a personal safety order. 2 In fact, if the abuser is a family or household member or someone with whom you have/had an intimate relationship, you would file for a domestic violence protective order instead of a personal safety order.3
1 W. Va. Code § 53-8-4(a)
2 W. Va. Code § 53-8-1(7)
3 See West Virginia Legal Aid, Personal Safety Orders in West Virginia