2014

YEARS
of Advocacy Social Change Collaboration Ppol

DID YOU KNOW?

One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by and intimate partner each year. 85% of domestic violence victims are women. Historically, females have been most victimized by someone they knew. Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence. Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police. HOMICIDE AND INJURY

THE PROTECTION FROM ABUSE PROCESS

What is an Order of Protection From Abuse? An Order of Protection is an Order issued by the Family Court ordering someone to stop abusing another person, and may include other relief, such as ordering the abuser Almost one-third of female homicide victims to stay away from the person being abused. that are reported in police records are killed by Who can file for Protection From Abuse? an intimate partner. In 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, no Spouses, ex-spouses, family members, persons, of the opposite sex who lived together when the abuse matter which partner was killed, the man occurred, unmarried persons who have children physically abused the women before the murder. together, and persons who are or were involved in a Less than one-fifth of victims reporting an injury substantive dating relationship may file for an Order of from intimate partner violence sought medical Protection From Abuse. treatment following the injury. What is abuse? Intimate partner violence results in more than Abuse is any threatening or harmful conduct including 18.5 million mental health care visits each year. serious emotional harm. Abuse is fully defined in 10 Delaware Code Section 104(a). NEW! HIGH RISK VICTIMS How long does an Order of Protection last? An Order of Protection From Abuse can last up to one Victims of domestic violence and their advocates can breathe easier year and can be extended for an extra six months after today, since the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that convicted domestic another hearing (To request an extension you must file a violence abusers will be prohibited from possessing firearms (U.S. vs. motion). DELAWARE COALITION Castleman). Women in the United States are 11 times more likely to be murdered AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE with a gun than women in other high-income countries. Carol Post STAFF Another study shows that homes with guns have a 3-fold increase in Executive Director homicide risk as compared to homes without guns, and this risk Lauren Camphausen increases to 8-fold when the perpetrator is an intimate partner or relative Empowerment Evaluator of the victim. Noel Sincere Duckworth When there has been previous domestic violence, as in the Castleman Director of Training & Prevention WEAPONS IN HANDS case, the risk of homicide is 20 times higher. OF
Stephanie Ferrell Director of Communications & Development Jacqueline Greenidge Nix Grants & Operations Manager Mariann Kenville-Moore Director of Policy Rebecca Klug Administrative & Communications Tya Pope Training & Prevention Specialist Marilyn Siebold Trauma &Mental Health Associate Janet Tillman Disabilities Project Coordinator 100 West 10 Street, Suite 904 Wilmington, DE 19801 P 302-658-2958 P 800-701-0456 F 302-658-5049 www.dcadv.org www.facebook.com/DelawareCoaltion dcadvadmin@dcadv.org
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OFFENDERS Delaware prohibits the purchase, ownership, possession or control of any firearm or ammunition by any person who has been convicted in any court of any misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Delaware prohibits the purchase, ownership, possession or control of any firearm or ammunition by any person subject to a Family Court protection from abuse order (other than an ex parte order), but only for so long as that order remains in effect or is not vacated or otherwise terminated. Delaware authorizes, but does not require, courts to issue protective orders that direct the abuser to surrender all firearms in his or her possession. As part of a protective order, the court may order that the respondent temporarily relinquish all the firearms he or she owns to the sheriff, constable or a police officer, and may order that the respondent refrain from purchasing or receiving additional guns for the duration of the order. OPEN FAMILY COURT HEARINGS

Task force members are recommending that divorce, alimony and property division proceedings be presumed openmeaning such hearings would generally be open to the public unless the court determines there be a good reason for barring the public. They also voted to recommend that child custody and visitation hearings be presumed open, while barring minor children involved from listening to testimony. Task force members agreed that adoption proceedings should remain closed to the public.