What Are Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders, and How Can I Obtain One?
Protection from abuse orders (PFAs) are intended to protect those who are suffering abuse at the hands of someone with whom they share a domestic relationship of some kind. If you need a PFA to protect yourself, the time to act is right now, and an experienced Harrisburg protection from abuse attorney is standing by to help.
Protection from Abuse
Protection from abuse is a civil—rather than criminal—order designed to protect those who have suffered either violence or the threat of violence from someone close to them. This allows victims to seek the court’s protection from their abusers even when there are no criminal charges involved. If the person cited in the protection from abuse order goes on to violate it, they can face criminal charges.
In the course of providing relief to the victim, PFAs can include any of the following requirements:
- That the named abuser complies with the specific requirements included in the order, such as keeping their distance from the victim
- That the named abuser refrain from abusing, harassing, threatening, stalking, or using physical force against the victim
- That the named abuser refrain from contacting the victim – either directly or indirectly – and anyone else protected under the order
Under certain circumstances, the court will require the named abuser to vacate the residence they share with the victim or will assign temporary physical custody of the shared children to the victim.
The Requirements for a PFA
To obtain a PFA in Pennsylvania, several elements must be met.
Domestic Relations
To begin, you can only obtain a PFA against someone who qualifies under one of the following categories:
- A sexual or intimate partner
- A member of your family
- A member of your household
- A person with whom you share a biological child
The Abuse
To obtain a PFA, the named abuser must have engaged in one of the following forms of abuse:
- Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing the victim to suffer bodily harm
- Raping, sexually assaulting, or engaging in incest with the victim
- Putting the victim in reasonable fear of imminent serious harm
- Causing the victim to be falsely imprisoned
- Sexually or physically abusing a minor
It’s Time to Consult with an Experienced Harrisburg Protection from Abuse Attorney
If you’re being abused by someone close to you, don’t wait to take the actions necessary to protect yourself. The dedicated Harrisburg protection from abuse attorneys at Purdy Law Office understand how difficult your position is and will spare no effort in our focused pursuit of a resolution that provides you with the peace of mind you seek and to which you’re entitled. To learn more about how we can help you help you, please don’t wait to contact us online or call us at 717-527-5751 today.