Domestic Violence
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EmailHotlines
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410-535-1121Prince Frederick
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301-759-9244Cumberland
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301-739-8975Hagerstown
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410-996-0333Elkton
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301-645-9387Waldorf
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410-234-0023Baltimore
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1-800-752 -0191Columbia
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301-334-9000 / 1-800-656-4673Oakland
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410-857-0077Westminster
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410-828-6390Baltimore
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301-731-1203Brentwood
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301-662-8800Frederick
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410-889-7884Hyattsville
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410-889-7884Upper Marlboro
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410-889-7884Baltimore
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410-749-4363Salisbury
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410-222-7273Annapolis
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1-800-634-3577Bowie
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1-800-927-4673Denton
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240-777-4673Rockville
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410-857-7322Westminster
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301-618-3154Cheverly
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410-836-8430Bel Air
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410-828-6390Towson
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240-777-HELPRockville
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301-863-6661Leonardtown
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410-222-6800Arnold
General Domestic Violence Articles
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Under Maryland law any health practitioner, police officer, or human service worker who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult is in danger is required to report that fact to the local department of social services. Any concerned person may make such a report.
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Domestic violence is a health issue as well as a legal and social problem. Both physical and emotional abuse can create immediate and long term health problems for you and your children.
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Dating violence is becoming an increasingly common problem. Teenagers who are subject to dating violence often slip through the cracks of the legal system
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Many aggressive children and adolescents have grown up in violent homes and neighborhoods, but some become violent for other reasons.
Definitions of Abuse
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These clues are certainly not definite signs of an abusive relationship, only that there is the potential to become one. Much of the information that we have comes from already identified abusive relationships.
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Domestic violence is the mistreatment of one family member or intimate partner by another. The abuse can be physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological.
Legal Options
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This article provides an overview of how the Peace Order and Protective Order differ from one another.
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This section further describes how the Maryland law defines the type of people eligible for legal protection:
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This article describes the federal crimes that pertain to domestic violence.
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This article describes the options for criminal charges a victim may wish to pursue against an abuser.
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This article traces the history of interspousal immunity in Maryland.
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All law enforcement entities in Maryland also provide extensive training and guidelines on domestic violence.
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The Peace Order is a form of legal protection for anyone who is experiencing problems with an individual, including someone in a dating relationship, a neighbor, a stranger, or anyone else.
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You may seek protection by use of a "Petition for Forcible Entry and Detainer" to evict an abuser from a dwelling when that person has no legal right to be living there.
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These are the questions that you should be prepared to answer when you have your final protective order hearing.
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There is a two or three-step process that you must follow to get a domestic violence Protection Order against your abuser.
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Laws that went into effect October 1, 2010 give victims of domestic violence in rental housing added protections.
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This article lists the causes of actions in civil court that a victim may bring against an abuser.
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Maryland Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) Service provides crime victims, victim advocates, and other concerned citizens free offender information and hearing notification.
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This table lists what a judge may order at each stage of a domestic violence case.
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In 1994, Congress enacted the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) directing jurisdictions to give full faith and credit to valid orders of protection issued by other jurisdictions.
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This article outlines a number of tips for working with an attorney when you have been abused.
Non-Legal Support
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This article describes how children are affected by domestic violence and steps parents can take to keep their children safe.
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Violence by an intimate partner can be a serious problem in keeping a job. There are both federal and state laws that provide protection for victims of crimes in the workplace.
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This article gives advice on how to guide your friend toward services that can be of assistance.
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If you are a friend of someone who may be a victim of domestic violence, here are some thoughts and questions you may have.
Safety Issues
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This is a model plan to prepare for the possibility for future violence.
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Advance preparation and planning can help to protect you if abuse occurs.
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How to keep your pet safe in a Domestic Violence situation
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This article provides options for where a victim should go after deciding to leave an abuser.
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There are many steps you can take to try to keep your personal information private.
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When you leave, it is important to take certain items with you. Some people give an extra copy of papers and an extra set of clothing to a friend just in case they have to leave quickly. Plan to put these items in one place so you can grab them quickly.
Is this legal advice?
This site offers legal information, not legal advice. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options. However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2013.”
