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What You Need to Know About Intimate Partner Violence

Posted by Joseph Lento | Feb 03, 2025 | 0 Comments

Dating abuse and intimate partner violence are serious issues in Pennsylvania. The state has taken several measures to protect victims of abuse, but it can be hard to know which type of protection order you should get—especially for young people and college students, who make up a large number of victims. Many victims are unaware that they can take legal action to protect themselves from their abusers.

At the LLF Law Firm, we help victims of domestic and intimate partner violence seek the legal protection they need. If you have questions about a Pennsylvania protection order or need help filing for one, call our Family Law Team at 888-535-3686 or send us your information via our confidential contact form.

What Is Intimate Partner Violence?

Intimate partner violence is abuse or violence perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It's a form of domestic violence. The perpetrator and the victim have a romantic or intimate relationship and may be dating or living together.

According to DomesticShelters.org, the most common age range for intimate partner abuse victims is 18-24. It's unfortunately very frequent on college campuses. What's worse is that many young people in this age range don't recognize the signs of dating abuse—57% say identifying intimate partner abuse is difficult. When they do recognize it, they often don't know who to turn to. College students are usually living away from their parents for the first time, which can make them feel isolated.

Many college students are also having their first relationships or first sexual experiences. When they encounter violence or abuse in these contexts, it can leave a lasting impact on them.

Pennsylvania's Domestic Violence Protections

In Pennsylvania, victims of domestic violence can seek protection from their abusers. The primary way to protect yourself is by filing for a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order. This civil protection order requires the perpetrator to stay away from the victim and refrain from contacting them. Even if the perpetrator and victim are in a public place, the perpetrator must leave or risk violating the protection order. If the perpetrator doesn't follow the rules in the PFA, they could be arrested.

Another method of protection is Pennsylvania's Sexual Violence Protection Order (SVPO). The victim can get an SVPO if they were sexually assaulted. The perpetrator and the victim don't need to be in a relationship for the victim to file for SVPO. A PFA, on the other hand, requires the victim to have a domestic relationship with the accused.

Our Family Law Team Can Help

The Family Law Team at the LLF Law Firm can help you determine which type of protection order is best suited for your situation. We can also help you file for one and represent you at the hearing that comes after you file for a protection order.

Call today at 888-535-3686 or send us a message on our contact form to schedule a consultation with our Family Law Team.

About the Author

Joseph Lento

"I pride myself on having heart and driving hard to get results!" Attorney Joseph D. Lento is a veteran of one of the nation's busiest family courts with nearly 20 years' experience passionately helping families. By day, he worked in the trenches of family court, and at night, he studied the law. He helped countless families while working at family court, and he went on to become an attorney, dedicating his law practice to continuing the work he started years earlier. Mr. Lento's experience both behind the scenes and on the front lines allows him to understand a client's family law matter from all angles, and allows him to find and employ the most effective strategies to get favorable outcomes for any client. Joseph D. Lento is licensed in Pennsylvania New Jersey, and New York, and is admitted pro hac vice as needed nationwide. In the courtroom and in life, attorney Joseph D. Lento stands up when the bell rings!

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The LLF Law Firm has unparalleled experience practicing Family Law in Pennsylvania. If you are having any uncertainties about what the future may hold for you and your family, contact our offices today. Our Family Law Team will go above and beyond the needs for any client and fight for what is fair.

This website was created only for general information purposes. It is not intended to be construed as legal advice for any situation. Only a direct consultation with a licensed Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York attorney can provide you with formal legal counsel based on the unique details surrounding your situation. The pages on this website may contain links and contact information for third party organizations - the Lento Law Firm does not necessarily endorse these organizations nor the materials contained on their website. In Pennsylvania, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout Pennsylvania's 67 counties, including, but not limited to Philadelphia, Allegheny, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, and York County. In New Jersey, attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New Jersey's 21 counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren County, In New York, Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents clients throughout New York's 62 counties. Outside of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, unless attorney Joseph D. Lento is admitted pro hac vice if needed, his assistance may not constitute legal advice or the practice of law. The decision to hire an attorney in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania counties, New Jersey, New York, or nationwide should not be made solely on the strength of an advertisement. We invite you to contact the Lento Law Firm directly to inquire about our specific qualifications and experience. Communicating with the Lento Law Firm by email, phone, or fax does not create an attorney-client relationship. The Lento Law Firm will serve as your official legal counsel upon a formal agreement from both parties. Any information sent to the Lento Law Firm before an attorney-client relationship is made is done on a non-confidential basis.

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