Family Violence and Abuse Prevention

"Family abuse" means any act involving violence, force, or threat including any forceful detention, which results in physical injury or places one in reasonable apprehension of serious bodily injury and which is committed by a person against such a person's family or household member.

A "family or household member" includes:

• Spouse, regardless of residence,
• Ex-spouse, regardless of residence,
• In-laws who live in the same home,
• Persons who have a child in common regardless of residence,
• Co-habitants, and
• Those who have cohabited in the past year and their children.

Domestic violence is a crime that harms individuals, ruins families, weakens communities, undermines readiness, and is contrary to the institutional values of the Virginia National Guard.

The Virginia National Guard is working to emphasize and encourage help-seeking behaviors among service members and their families. Leaders, fellow service members, family members, and Virginia National Guard personnel must understand and recognize the warning signs of domestic violence so that appropriate intervention can take place, and distressed personnel are referred to the appropriate resources.