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Legal Information: Indiana

Statutes: Indiana

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Updated: 
November 14, 2023

31-9-2-42 “Domestic or family violence”

Sec. 42. “Domestic or family violence” means, except for an act of self-defense, the occurrence of one (1) or more of the following acts committed by a family or household member:

(1) Attempting to cause, threatening to cause, or causing physical harm to another family or household member without legal justification.

(2) Placing a family or household member in fear of physical harm without legal justification.

(3) Causing a family or household member to involuntarily engage in sexual activity by force, threat of force, or duress.

(4) Abusing (as described in IC 35-46-3-0.5), torturing (as described in IC 35-46-3-0.5), mutilating (as described in IC 35-46-3-0.5), or killing a vertebrate animal without justification with the intent to threaten, intimidate, coerce, harass, or terrorize a family or household member.

For purposes of IC 22-4-15-1 and IC 34-26-5, domestic or family violence also includes stalking (as defined in IC 35-45-10-1) or a sex offense under IC 35-42-4, whether or not the stalking or sex offense is committed by a family or household member.