Dating Violence Prevention Act
Section 1. Short Title
This Act shall be called the “Dating Violence Prevention Act.”
Section 2. Findings and Purpose
(A) FINDINGs—The legislature finds that:
1. Violence against an intimate partner is a social problem that affects millions of victims and their children each year.
2. It is essential that the state of [STATE] protect all victims of domestic violence.
(B) PURPOSE—This law is enacted to protect victims of dating violence by including them in the state’s domestic violence laws.
SECTION 3. DATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION
(A) Definitions—In this section:
1. “Domestic violence” means abuse committed against an individual by:
a. A current or former spouse
b. An individual who shares parentage of a child in common
c. A person who is cohabitating with, or has cohabitated with the individual
d. A person who is related by blood or marriage
e. A person with whom the individual has or had an intimate or dating relationship [this may be the only provision you need to add to the existing state laws]
2. “Abuse” means:
a. Causing, or attempting to cause, physical harm.
b. Placing another person in fear of imminent serious physical harm.
c. Causing another person to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat or duress, or threatening to do so.
d. Engaging in mental abuse, which includes threats, intimidation and acts designed to induce terror.
e. Depriving another person of medical care, housing, food or other necessities of life.
f. Restraining the liberty of another.
(B) DATING VIOLENCE
In Sections XXX, XXX, XXX [all occurrences of state law that define victims of domestic violence] domestic violence shall include abuse committed against an individual with whom a person has or had an intimate or dating relationship with.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.