Definitions of Domestic Violence - District of Columbia

Defined in Domestic Violence Civil Laws

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-1001

The term 'interpersonal violence' means an act punishable as a criminal offense that is committed or threatened to be committed by an offender upon a person with whom the offender has a relationship.

The term 'intimate partner violence' means an act punishable as a criminal offense that is committed or threatened to be committed by an offender upon a person with whom the offender has a personal relationship.

The term 'intrafamily offense' means interpersonal, intimate partner, or intrafamily violence.

The term 'intrafamily violence' means an act punishable as a criminal offense that is committed or threatened to be committed by an offender upon a person to whom the offender is related.

Defined in Child Abuse Reporting and Child Protection Laws

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Defined in Criminal Laws

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Persons Included in the Definition

Citation: Ann. Code § 16-1001

For interpersonal violence, the term applies when the victim is a person:

• With whom the offender shares or has shared a mutual residence
• Who is or was married to; in a domestic partnership with; divorced or separated from; or in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with the offender

For intimate partner violence, the term applies when the victim is a person:

• To whom the offender is or was married
• With whom the offender is or was in a domestic partnership
• With whom the offender is or was in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship

For intrafamily violence, the term applies when the victim is related to the offender by blood, adoption, legal custody, marriage, or domestic partnership or with whom the offender has a child in common.