Definitions

Some relationships are healthy, safe, and exciting. Healthy relationships are a deep source of happiness and satisfaction; they make life wonderful.

Healthy Relationships are relationships in which both people (whether friends, family, or romantic partners) respect one another, are concerned about the other's well-being, where both people work to resolve problems through compromise and negotiation, where there is a sense of safety (physical safety, emotional safety, sexual safety, etc.) and both people feel a freedom to be their true selves.

Other relationships, called "hurtful relationships," can be confusing and destructive. These kinds of relationships can leave a person feeling trapped, alone, and scared.

Dating Violence is a term used to describe abuse in a dating relationship.

Domestic Violence is a term used to describe abuse in a married or cohabitating relationship. Cohabitants are people who live in the same house - whether they are married, romantic partners, or just roommates.

Abuse is an intentional effort to control or hurt another person through physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, spiritual, and/or financial means. It is a pattern of manipulative behaviors used to gain power and control. These behaviors may gradual become more severe over time.

Dating and Domestic Violence (or hurtful relationships) go beyond normal fighting or arguing; they are a pattern of controlling or hurtful behavior. These hurtful behaviors can be verbal, emotional, sexual, physical, financial, or spiritual in nature. Violence does not have to be physical to be violence.

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Legal Definitions

The above definitions about hurtful relationships, violence, and abuse are what might be called "educational" definitions. The Utah Criminal Code (state statutes or laws that describe what criminal behavior is) break these definitions into several individual crime categories. These crime categories may include physical assault, sex offenses, theft, stalking, etc. To read Utah laws regarding hurtful relationships:

• Visit the Utah Legislature website - Utah Criminal Code (includes categories such as Offenses Against the Person, Offenses Against the Family, Offenses Against Property): http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE76/TITLE76.htm


• Visit the Utah Legislature website - Utah Code of Criminal Procedure (includes Cohabitant Abuse Procedures Act): http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE77/TITLE77.htm


• Visit the Utah Legislature website - Cohabitant Abuse Procedures Act (Domestic Violence): http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE77/77_36.htm


• PDF: Utah Criminal Code Cohabitant Abuse Procedures Act (Domestic Violence)

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Get Help

Get help, or help someone you know.

PDFs

• Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
• Domestic Abuse: Definitions and Causes
• Power/Control and Equality Wheels
• Domestic Abuse Danger Assessment
• Common Myths About Domestic Abuse
• Why Do Victims Stay?
• Safety Plan for Leaving Abuse Behind
• Dating Violence
• Dating Violence Danger Assessment
• Helping a Victim of Dating or Domestic Violence

Prevention Education

• R.A.D. Self-Defense (women)
• One-in-Four (men)

Links

• RAINN http://www.rainn.org/
• Utah Domestic Violence Council www.udvc.org
• Utah Office on Domestic and Sexual Violence www.nomoresecrets.utah.gov
• Utah Dating Violence Task Force www.nomoresecrets.utah.gov (see left navigation bar)
• Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault www.ucasa.org
• National Center for Victims of Crime www.ncvc.org/ncvc/Main.aspx
• Family Violence Prevention Fund www.endabuse.org
• National Network to End Domestic Violence www.nnedv.org
• National Domestic Violence Hotline www.ndvh.org
• Take the Pledge www.takethepledge.gov
• Love is Not Abuse www.loveisnotabuse.com
• Power in You www.powerinyou.org
• Choose Respect www.chooserespect.org/