English
Español¿Qué es una orden de protección contra la agresión sexual?
Similar to a protective order for domestic abuse, a sexual assault protective order is a court order that can protect you from an abuser if you are the victim of nonconsensual sexual contact.1 Unlike the protective order for domestic abuse, you do not need to have a specific relationship with the abuser to get a sexual assault protective order.2
1 LA R.S. § 46:2184
2 LA R.S. § 46:2183(A)
¿Cuál es la definición legal de contacto sexual no consentido?
To be eligible for a sexual assault protective order, you must be the victim of sexual assault, which is defined as any act of nonconsensual sexual contact. “Nonconsensual sexual contact” includes the crime of “obscenity” or any sex offense listed in LA R.S. 15:541(subsection 24).1 Some examples of the sex offenses listed in the law include: rape, sexual battery, and photographing or videotaping someone without his/her consent for the purpose of sexual arousal.2 An example of the crime of “obscenity” includes exposure of genitals or breasts in a public place with the intent of arousing sexual desire.3
Note: Although the law that defines “sexual offenses” lists very specific crimes, as explained above, the law also uses the phrase “including, but not limited to” when listing the crimes.1 Therefore, it is possible that other acts that are not one of the listed crimes may also be considered nonconsensual sexual contact.
1 LA R.S. § 46:2184
2 LA R.S. § 15:541(24)
3 LA R.S. § 14:106(1)
¿Qué tipos de órdenes de protección contra la agresión sexual hay? ¿Cuánto duran?
There are two types of sexual assault protective orders: temporary restraining orders and protective orders.
The judge may issue you a temporary restraining order without the abuser present (ex parte) if there is “good cause” to do so. Proving that you are the victim of sexual assault is considered to be “good cause” to grant this ex parte order.1
If the judge does grant you a temporary restraining order, the abuser will be notified that you have an order against him/her and the court will give you a date, usually within 21 days, for a hearing. If the judge does not grant you a temporary restraining order on the day that you file your petition, the judge should set the matter down for a hearing within ten days of the abuser being served with the petition. The hearing is referred to as “the hearing on the rule to show cause,” where you and the abuser each have a chance to be present and tell your sides of the story.2
After the hearing, a judge can issue a protective order that lasts up to 18 months, and can later be renewed after a hearing in front of a judge.3 The parts of the protective order that tell the abuser to not abuse, harass, or interfere with you can last forever.4
1 LA R.S. § 46:2183(B)
2 LA R.S. § 46:2135(B), (D)
3 LA R.S. § 46:2136(F)(1)
4 LA R.S. § 46:2136(F)(2)(A)
¿Dónde puedo solicitar una orden de protección contra la agresión sexual?
You can file for a sexual assault protective order in any court that hears family or juvenile matters. However, it must be filed in the parish:
- where you live;
- where the abuser lives; or
- where the sexual assault occurred.1
1 LA R.S. § 46:2185
¿Qué protecciones puedo conseguir en una orden de protección contra la agresión sexual?
The law says that a victim of sexual assault can get all of the same protections in his/her protective order as a victim of domestic violence can get.1 So, in a temporary restraining order, a judge may order the abuser to:
- stop threatening, harassing, or hurting you;
- not contact or interfere with you or your children – and give you temporary custody;
- stay away from your home, work, school, etc.;
- not give away, sell, or destroy any mutually-owned property;
- move out of the residence if you live together; Note: If the abuser solely owns or leases the home, s/he will not be asked to move out unless s/he has a legal duty to support you or your children;
- return your personal property to you;
- stop abusing your pet; and
- give you possession of your pet.2
In a long-term protective order, a judge may:
- order all of the relief listed above; and
- include the following additional terms:
- establish temporary visitation;
- order the abuser to pay temporary child support if you have children with the abuser;
- order the abuser to pay temporary spousal support if you are married to the abuser;
- give you possession of a shared home, even if the abuser owns it, if you are the abuser’s spouse or have custody of your and the abuser’s minor children;
- order a medical or mental health evaluation, or both, of the abuser to be conducted by an independent court-appointed evaluator who qualifies as an expert in the field of domestic abuse and who has no family, financial, or prior medical or mental health relationship with the abuser or his/her attorney of record; and
- order the abuser to attend counseling.2
In addition, the law says that the abuser must (“shall”) pay for all of your court costs, attorney fees, costs of enforcing or modifying the order, costs of appeals, evaluation fees, and expert witness fees based on filing or defending any proceeding concerning a domestic abuse protection order. The abuser must also pay for all costs of medical and psychological care for you or for your children when the care is needed due to the domestic violence.3
Note: Louisiana law prohibits abuser from possessing a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon while the long-term protective order is in effect if:
- the order includes a finding that s/he represents a believable (credible) threat to the physical safety of a family member, household member, or dating partner; and
- the order includes a notice about this law and about the federal firearm law.4
1 LA R.S. § 46:2183(A)
2 LA R.S. §§ 46:2135; 46:2136
3 LA R.S. § 46:2136.1
4 LA R.S. § 46:2136.3
Si el agresor vive en otro estado, ¿puedo conseguir una orden en su contra?
Si el/la agresor/a vive en un estado diferente al suyo, el/la juez/a podría no tener “jurisdicción personal” (poder) sobre ese/a agresor/a. Esto significa que es posible que el tribunal no pueda otorgar una orden en contra de él/ella.
Hay algunas formas en las que una corte puede tener jurisdicción personal sobre un/a agresor/a que es de otro estado:
- El/la agresor/a tiene una conexión sustancial a su estado. Quizás el/la agresor/a viaja regularmente a su estado para visitarlo/a, por negocios, para ver la familia extendida, o el/la agresor/a vivía en su estado y huyó recientemente.
- Uno de los actos de maltrato “ocurrió” en su estado. Quizás el/la agresor/a le envía mensajes amenazantes o le hace llamadas acosadoras desde otro estado pero usted lee los mensajes o contesta las llamadas mientras usted está en su estado. El/la juez/a puede decidir que el maltrato “ocurrió” mientras estaba en su estado. También puede ser posible que el/la agresor/a estaba en su estado cuando le maltrató pero desde entonces se fue del estado.
- Otra forma para que la corte adquiera jurisdicción es si usted presenta su petición en el estado donde usted está, y el/la agresor/a recibe notificación de la petición de la corte mientras él/ella está en ese estado.
Sin embargo, aunque nada de esto aplique a su situación, eso no necesariamente significa que usted no pueda conseguir una orden. A usted le pueden dar una orden por consentimiento o el/la juez/a puede encontrar otras circunstancias que permitan que la orden sea dada. Puede leer más sobre jurisdicción personal en nuestra sección de Asuntos Básicos del Sistema Judicial - Jurisdicción Personal.
Nota: Si el/la juez/a de su estado se niega a dar una orden, usted puede pedir una orden en la corte del estado donde vive el/la agresor/a. Sin embargo, recuerde que es probable que usted necesite presentar la petición en persona y asistir a varias citas en la corte, lo cual podría ser difícil si el estado de el/la agresor/a es lejos.
