Definitions of Domestic Violence - Arizona

Date: January 2021

Defined in Domestic Violence Civil Laws

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 36-3001

'Domestic violence' means attempting to cause or causing bodily injury to a family or household member or placing a family or household member by threat of force in fear of imminent physical harm.

Defined in Child Abuse Reporting and Child Protection Laws

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Defined in Criminal Laws

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 13-3601

'Domestic violence' means any act that constitutes one of the following offenses:

  • A dangerous crime against children
  • Homicide, murder, or manslaughter
  • Endangerment
  • A threatening or intimidating act
  • Assault
  • Custodial interference
  • Unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping
  • Sexual assault
  • Criminal trespass
  • Criminal damage
  • Interfering with judicial proceedings
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Cruelty to animals
  • Intentionally preventing the use of a telephone by another person during an emergency
  • Use of an electronic communication to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy, or offend
  • Harassment
  • Aggravated harassment
  • Stalking
  • Aggravated domestic violence
  • Surreptitious photographing, videotaping, or filming
  • Child or vulnerable adult abuse
  • Emotional abuse

Persons Included in the Definition

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 13-3601; 36-3001

In criminal law: An act listed above is considered domestic violence if any of the following applies:

  • The relationship between the victim and the defendant is one of marriage or former marriage or of persons residing or having resided in the same household.
  • The victim and the defendant have a child in common.
  • The victim or the defendant is pregnant by the other party.
  • The victim is related to the defendant or the defendant's spouse by blood or court order as a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, or sister, or by marriage as a parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, stepparent, stepgrandparent, stepchild, stepgrandchild, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law.
  • The victim is a child who resides or has resided in the same household as the defendant and is related by blood to a former spouse of the defendant or to a person who resides or who has resided in the same household as the defendant.
  • The relationship between the victim and the defendant is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship. The following factors may be considered in determining whether the relationship between the victim and the defendant is currently or was previously a romantic or sexual relationship:
    • The type of relationship
    • The length of the relationship
    • The frequency of the interaction between the victim and the defendant
    • If the relationship has terminated, the length of time since the termination

In civil law: 'Family or household member' means a spouse, a former spouse, a parent, a child, or other adult person related by consanguinity or affinity who is residing or has resided in the household, or has a child or children in common with the person committing the domestic violence, and dependents of such persons.

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