WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.
Legal Information: Federal
Laws current as of November 22, 2024 Can family members be included in my self-petition?
The only family members that could be included are your children and step-children. When you file a VAWA self-petition, you may be able to include your children and step-children as “derivatives.” Specifically, if the abuser is your spouse or parent, you may include your children who are under 21 and unmarried at the time of filing your petition. If the abuser is your adult child, you cannot include your children as derivatives.
© 2008–2024 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.
English
Español
