DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
Domestic violence is a designation added to criminal charges based on the relationship between the accused and the alleged victim.
Domestic violence is defined as physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault, between family or household members; sexual assault of one family or household member by another; or stalking of one family or household member by another family or household member.
Family or household members include spouses, domestic partners, former spouses, former domestic partners, persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together at any time, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adult persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past, persons sixteen years of age or older who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past and who have or have had a dating relationship, persons sixteen years of age or older with whom a person sixteen years of age or older has or has had a dating relationship, and persons who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents and stepchildren and grandparents and grandchildren.
Most crimes can be charged under a domestic violence designation, but the most often seen are assault, violation of a no contact order, property destruction, criminal trespass.
A domestic violence designation can result in the following consequences in addition to the general criminal charges:
no contact order
affect application for housing
most likely prevent you from working in health care related industries and other vulnerable people
affect family law proceedings and/or child custody rights
RCW 26.50.010
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