What is the legal definition of domestic abuse in Guam?
For purposes of getting a civil order of protection, domestic abuse means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between family or household members:
- causing or attempting to cause you bodily injury or serious bodily injury (with or without a deadly weapon);
- placing you in fear of imminent (immediate) serious bodily injury by physically menacing (threatening/intimidating) you; or
- sexual abuse of a minor child.1
Note: The criminal definition of family violence under the law is slightly different. Therefore, these are the acts that are considered to be criminal family violence:
- attempting to cause or causing bodily injury to another family or household member;
- placing a family or household member in reasonable fear of immediate bodily injury; or
- intentionally disrupting the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of a family or household member by:
- applying pressure to the throat or neck; or
- blocking his/her nose or mouth.2
1 7 Guam Code § 40101; see also the petition for an order of protection
2 9 Guam Code § 30.10(a)