Restraining Orders

To get an injunction against harassment, you must show that the defendant has “harassed” you. For the purpose of an IAH, the law defines “harassment” as:

1. two or more acts over any period of time that:
   • is directed at a specific person;
   • serves no legitimate purpose; and
   • reasonably causes the victim to be seriously alarmed, annoyed or harassed;¹ or
2. one or more acts of sexual violence, which the law defines as committing one of the following acts even if there was no arrest or criminal prosecution:

• indecent exposure;
• public sexual indecency;
• sexual abuse;
• sexual conduct with a minor;
• sexual assault;
• unlawful sexual conduct by:
  • an employee of the probation department, juvenile court, or state correctional institution;
  • a peace officer;
  • a behavioral health professional;
• molestation of a child;
• bestiality;
• continuous sexual abuse of a child;
• violent sexual assault;
• voyeurism;
• unlawful disclosure of images depicting states of nudity or specific sexual activities;
• sexual extortion;
• kidnapping but only if there is the intention to inflict death, physical injury, or a sexual offense on the victim, or to otherwise aid in the commission of a felony;
• sex trafficking;
• surreptitious photographing, videotaping, filming or digitally recording or viewing;
• taking child for the purpose of prostitution;
• commercial sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor, luring a minor for sexual exploitation, or aggravated luring a minor for sexual exploitation.²

Harassment may also include defamation against an employer, unlawful picketing, trespassory assembly, unlawful mass assembly, concerted interference with lawful business activity, and taking part in a secondary boycott.¹

¹ A.R.S. § 12-1809(S)
² A.R.S. §§ 12-1809(S); 23-371(J)