WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.

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Firearms

The abuser is in law enforcement (police or military). Will his/her gun be taken away if I get an RO?

There are two sets of laws that apply to the topic of firearm possession - federal laws and state laws. Federal laws apply to all states and are enforced by the ATF (Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms) division of the federal government. Under federal laws, if the abuser is a law enforcement officer, military employee or government employee against whom there is an order of protection, s/he may still be able to continue to use a gun for work purposes (but not for personal use) despite the order of protection - you can read more about this here: http://www.womenslaw.org/laws/federal/federal-gun-laws/more-information-…

Under STATE state gun laws, it may also be possible for someone with a restraining order against him/her to have a firearm for work purposes - you can read more about this here: LOOK FOR THIS QUESTION ABOUT CAN GUN BE USED BY OFFICER - IF WE DON’T HAVE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, CAN MENTION THAT OFTEN STATES HAVE SIMILAR EXCEPTIONS - MAY WANT TO TALK TO LAWYER FOR INFO

If you are concerned for your safety, you may want to reach out to a local domestic violence organization for support.  Here is a link to find one:LINK and here are some other tips for staying safe:
http://www.womenslaw.org//simple.php?sitemap_id=3&lang=en

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