Know the Laws: Delaware
UPDATED December 13, 2012
Even if you do not qualify for an order of protection from abuse, the abuser may have committed a crime. If you call the police, they may arrest him/her for a crime and you may get a restraining order through the criminal court. Remember that even if you do have a OPFA, you can still report him to the police if you believe s/he committed a crime against you.
What are some crimes that the abuser may have committed in Delaware?
If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Delaware?
What are some crimes that the abuser may have committed in Delaware?
Here is a list of some possible crimes in Delaware that the abuser may have committed. You can click on the links to read the legal definition of the crime in our State Statutes page.
- Assault
- Offensive touching
- Reckless endangerment
- Menacing
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful imprisonment
- Harassment
- Trespass
- Trespass with intent to peep
- Sexual offenses (e.g. rape, indecent exposure, unlawful sexual contact, sexual harassment)
If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Delaware?
The Delaware State Police offer victim assistance on their website. They also offer a 24-hour Crisis Emergency hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1.
For more information on the availability of victim compenstation, visit the Delaware Victims' Compensation Assistance Program online, or call them at 302-255-1770.
You may learn more about crimes by calling your local police department, sheriff's department, or district attorney's office. See our DE Sheriff Departments page for the contact information for your local sheriff's department.
If you are a victim of domestic violence and have been charged with a crime, you can contact the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women.
Other organizations for victims of crime are listed on our National Organizations page.
You may want to contact the Stalking Resource Center if you are being stalked or harassed: www.ncvc.org/src