7Family violence

### 7 Family violence > [*\[Section 7 Amended by No. 21 of 2022, s. 5, Applied:22 Dec 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-12-22/act-2022-021#GS5@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 7 Amended by No. 34 of 2019, s. 9, Applied:08 Oct 2019\]*](/view/html/inforce/2019-10-08/act-2019-034#GS9@EN) [*\[Section 7 Amended by No. 21 of 2022, s. 5, Applied:22 Dec 2022\]*](/view/html/inforce/2022-12-22/act-2022-021#GS5@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 7 Amended by No. 32 of 2015, s. 4, Applied:06 Oct 2015\]*](/view/html/inforce/2015-10-06/act-2015-032#GS4@Hpa@EN) [*\[Section 7 Amended by No. 32 of 2015, s. 4, Applied:06 Oct 2015\]*](/view/html/inforce/2015-10-06/act-2015-032#GS4@Hpb@EN) [*\[Section 7 Substituted by No. 30 of 2024, s. 4, Applied:13 Dec 2024\]*](/view/html/inforce/2024-12-13/act-2024-030#GS4@Hpa@EN) > > > (1)  In this Act – > > > > > ***family violence*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) any of the following types of conduct committed by a person, directly or indirectly, against that person's spouse or partner: > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) assault, including (but not limited to) sexual assault, indecent assault and aggravated assault; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) threats, coercion, intimidation or verbal abuse; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (iii) abduction; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (iv) stalking and bullying within the meaning of [section 192 of the](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069#JS1@GS192@EN) [Criminal Code](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1924-069) ; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (v) rape; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (vi) wounding or bodily harm, including grievous bodily harm and committing an unlawful act intended to cause bodily harm; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (vii) penetrative sexual abuse of a child, a young person or a person with a mental impairment; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (viii) any other conduct that causes personal injury; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ix) attempting or threatening to commit conduct referred to in [subparagraph (i)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqi@EN) , [(ii)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqii@EN) , [(iii)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqiii@EN) [(iv)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqiv@EN) , [(v)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqv@EN) , [(vi)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqvi@EN) , [(vii)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqvii@EN) or [(viii)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpa@Hqviii@EN) ; or > > > > > > > > > (b) any of the following: > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) economic abuse; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) emotional abuse or intimidation; > > > > > > > > > > > > > (iii) contravening an external family violence order, an interim FVO, an FVO or a PFVO; or > > > > > > > > > (c) any damage caused by a person, directly or indirectly, to any property – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) jointly owned by that person and his or her spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) owned by that person's spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (iii) owned by an affected child; or > > > > > > > > > (d) any conduct committed by a person that causes the death or neglect of, or injury to, an animal that, directly or indirectly – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) intimidates, coerces or controls the person’s spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) causes mental harm to, or apprehension or fear in, the person’s spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > (e) any threats made by a person regarding the potential death or neglect of, or injury to, an animal that, directly or indirectly – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) intimidates, coerces or controls the person’s spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) causes mental harm to, or apprehension or fear in, the person’s spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > (f) any conduct referred to in [paragraph (d)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpd@EN) or threats referred to in [paragraph (e)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpe@EN) by a person that the person knows, or reasonably ought to know, is likely to, directly or indirectly – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) intimidate, coerce or control the person’s spouse or partner; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) cause mental harm to, or apprehension or fear in, the person’s spouse or partner. > > > (2)  For the purposes of [subsection (1)(d)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpd@EN) , [(e)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpe@EN) or [(f)](#GS7@Gs1@Nd1572004492516@Hpf@EN) , it is irrelevant whether the animal referred to in the relevant paragraph – > > > > > > (a) is owned by a person referred to in the paragraph or another person; or > > > > > > > (b) is domesticated or not.