Restraining Orders

In Kentucky, dating violence and abuse is defined as one or more of the following acts between current or former dating partners:

1. physical injury;
2. serious physical injury;
3. stalking;
4. sexual assault;
5. strangulation;
6. putting you in fear of immediate (imminent) physical injury, serious physical injury, stalking, sexual assault, or strangulation;
7. committing cruelty to animals in the 1^st or 2^nd degree;
8. committing the crime of torturing a dog or cat;
9. committing sexual crimes against an animal; or
10. making you afraid that the acts listed in numbers 7, 8, and 9 will happen to a pet you’re close to, in order to force you to do something, control you, punish you, scare you, or get revenge against you.¹

If you are a victim of sexual assault or stalking, you don’t need to have any relationship with the offender to qualify for an interpersonal protective order.²

Note: It’s important to know that the abuser does not have to be arrested or convicted for committing any of these crimes listed above.

¹ Ky. Rev. Stat. § 456.010(2)
² Ky. Rev. Stat. § 456.030(1); see also the petition on the Kentucky Courts website