What is Domestic Violence?

In Washington State, there is no crime of Domestic Violence. Rather, Domestic Violence is a tag that is put on other crimes indicating that there is a family or household relationship between the parties involved. Most jurisdictions will impose a No Contact Order that prohibits the defendant in a Domestic Violence (“DV”) case from having contact with the alleged victim of the crime. The order will often prohibit contact with the victim’s children, residence and place of work too.

Family or household relationship

According to RCW 10.99.020(3), family or household members are defined as:

[S]pouses, former spouses, persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together at any time, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adult persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past, persons sixteen years of age or older who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past and who have or have had a dating relationship, persons sixteen years of age or older with whom a person sixteen years of age or older has or has had a dating relationship, and persons who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents and stepchildren and grandparents and grandchildren.

As you can see, this definition is extremely broad. It is far more inclusive than what most people would expect it to be. The same is true for the types of crimes that are labeled “Domestic Violence.” Most people only think of Assault when it comes to domestic violence, however there are many other crimes that can carry the DV tag.

On the District Court and Municipal Court levels:

• Assault
• Property destruction (malicious mischief)
• Harassment/telephone harassment/stalking
• Intimidation with a weapon
• Reckless endangerment
• Violation of no-contact orders
• Violation of domestic violence protection orders

On the Superior Court (Felony) level:

• No-contact order violation involving an assault
• Third violation of a no-contact order
• Assault with a deadly weapon
• Unlawful imprisonment
• Murder