Washington legal term
Victim of domestic violence in Washington Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Washington legislative session
In Washington criminal law, “Victim of domestic violence” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Washington criminal code.
What does “Victim of domestic violence” mean in Washington criminal law?
"Victim of domestic violence" means an intimate partner or household member who has been subjected to the infliction of physical harm or sexual and psychological abuse by an intimate partner or household member as part of a pattern of assaultive, coercive, and controlling behaviors directed at achieving compliance from or control over that intimate partner or household member. (RCW 9.94A.030)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.