Know the Laws: Texas
UPDATED March 3, 2011
Even if you do not qualify for a family violence protective order, or a sexual assault protective order, 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 protective order, you can still report him/her to the police if you believe s/he committed a crime against you.
What are some crimes that the abuser may have committed in Texas?
If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Texas?
What are some crimes that the abuser may have committed in Texas?
Here is a list of some possible crimes in Texas 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
- Kidnapping
- Unlawful restraint
- Sexual offenses (e.g. sexual assault, indecent exposure)
- Stalking
- Online harassment
- Trespass
If I am the victim of a crime, where can I get additional help in Texas?
For more information on victims' services, rights, and resources in Texas, you can contact the Victim Services Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on their website, or by telephone at 1-800-848-4284.
Additionally, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas provides information on victim compensation on their Crime Victim Services website. For more information on crime victim compensation, you can call them toll-free at 1-800-983-9933.
You may learn more about crimes by calling your local police department, sheriff's department, or district attorney's office. See our Sheriff's 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