Domestic Abuse Restraining Order

rdf:langString Domestic Abuse Restraining Order

rdf:langString A Domestic Abuse Restraining Order (DARO) is a form of restraining order or order of protection used under the domestic abuse laws of the state of Wisconsin, USA, and enforceable throughout the US under invocation of the Full Faith and Credit Clause in the Violence Against Women Act (18 U.S.C. § 2265). It is a legal intervention in which one person (the respondent) who is deemed to be hurting, threatening or stalking another person (the petitioner) is ordered to stop — and often cease all direct and indirect contact — with the goal of reducing risk of further threat or harm to the petitioner. The petitioner and respondent will generally be in certain specific relationships such as a spousal or sexual relationship. If the petitioner is in an unwanted stalking relationship with the respondent, however, a closely related form of injunction, a Harassment Restraining Order (HRO) may be more appropriate. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 813.12, domestic abuse for the purposes of obtaining either type of restraining order is defined to include intentional infliction of physical pain, physical injury or illness; intentional impairment of physical condition; sexual intercourse under Wis. Stat. § 940.225; sexual contact under Wis. Stat. § 940.225; stalking under Wis. Stat. § 940.32; damage to property under Wis. Stat. § 943.01; or a threat to do any of the above. A petitioner whose has experienced domestic abuse, under this definition, can file for either type of order for free. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 813.125, other forms of harassment for the purposes of obtaining a harassment restraining order include striking, shoving, kicking, or other physical abuse; or repeated intimidating acts. Petitioning for a harassment restraining order that does not qualify as domestic abuse requires the payment of a fee.