Sec. 46b-38a. Family violence prevention and response: Definitions. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 46b-38a. Family violence prevention and response: Definitions. For the purposes of sections 46b-38a to 46b-38f, inclusive:

      (1) "Family violence" means an incident resulting in physical harm, bodily injury or assault, or an act of threatened violence that constitutes fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury or assault between family or household members. Verbal abuse or argument shall not constitute family violence unless there is present danger and the likelihood that physical violence will occur.

      (2) "Family or household member" means (A) spouses, former spouses; (B) parents and their children; (C) persons eighteen years of age or older related by blood or marriage; (D) persons sixteen years of age or older other than those persons in subparagraph (C) presently residing together or who have resided together; (E) persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they are or have been married or have lived together at any time; and (F) persons in, or have recently been in, a dating relationship.

      (3) "Family violence crime" means a crime as defined in section 53a-24 which, in addition to its other elements, contains as an element thereof an act of family violence to a family member and shall not include acts by parents or guardians disciplining minor children unless such acts constitute abuse.

      (4) "Institutions and services" means peace officers, service providers, mandated reporters of abuse, agencies and departments that provide services to victims and families and services designed to assist victims and families.

      (P.A. 86-337, S. 1; P.A. 87-567, S. 1, 7; P.A. 88-364, S. 59, 123; P.A. 99-186, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 87-567 amended definitions of "family violence" by adding provision re verbal abuse or argument, "family or household member" by adding "and their children", changing "sixteen" to "eighteen" and adding persons 16 or older other than persons in Subpara. (C) and "family violence crime" by deleting former provisions and adding "in addition to its other elements, contains as an element thereof an act of family violence to a family member and shall not include acts by parents or guardians disciplining minor children unless such acts constitute abuse"; P.A. 88-364 amended Subdiv. (2)(D) to remove a redundant reference to persons who have resided together in the recent past; P.A. 99-186 added Subdiv. (3)(F) re persons in, or having recently been in, a dating relationship.

      See chapter 968a re address confidentiality program.

      Cited. 219 C. 752.

      Cited. 42 CA 624.

      Creation of a class of victims and defendants does not affect the prosecution of any crime, does not afford victim greater rights with regard to defendant's prosecution, and is a legitimate classification, being neither arbitrary nor irrational, and thus does not violate equal protection rights. 46 CS 598.