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Legal Information: Vermont

Restraining Orders

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Laws current as of July 11, 2024

What is the legal definition of domestic abuse in Vermont?

This section defines domestic abuse for the purposes of getting a relief from abuse order.  Domestic abuse means that one or more of the following are done between family or household members:

  • attempting to cause or causing physical harm;
  • placing someone in fear of immediate (“imminent”) serious physical harm;
  • child abuse;
  • stalking (see subsection (6));
  • sexual assault (see subsection (5)); or
  • coercive controlling behavior.1

Coercive controlling behavior means a pattern of behavior that unreasonably interferes with someone’s free will and personal liberty, including:

  • isolation from friends, relatives, or other sources of support;
  • preventing access to basic necessities;
  • controlling or monitoring movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services;
  • using force, threat, or intimidation, including threats based on immigration status, to make the victim:
    • act in a way the victim has the right not to act; or
    • not act in a way the victim has the right to act;
  • animal cruelty meant to intimidate the victim; or
  • forced sex acts or threats of a sexual nature, including:
    • threatened acts of sexual conduct;
    • threats based on the victim’s sexuality; or
    • threats to release sexual images.2

1 VT ST 15 § 1101(1)
2 VT ST 15 § 1101(2)