Domestic violence:  a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred, or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.

Dating Violence:  violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the reporting party’s statement and with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. Dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse.

Stalking: Stalking means engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress. Stalking can include, for example: Repeated, unwanted, intrusive, and frightening communications from the perpetrator by phone, mail, and/or email. Repeatedly leaving or sending victim unwanted items, presents, or flowers. Following or lying in wait for the victim at places such as home, school, work, or recreation place. Making direct or indirect threats to harm the victim, the victim's children, relatives, friends, or pets. Damaging or threatening to damage the victim's property. Harassing victim through the internet. Posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth. Obtaining personal information about the victim by accessing public records, using internet search services, hiring private investigators, going through the victim's garbage, following the victim, contacting victim's friends, family work, or neighbors, etc.

Consent: Consent can be given by word or action, but non-verbal Consent is not as clear as talking about what a person wants sexually and what they do not. Consent to some form of sexual activity cannot be automatically taken as Consent to any other form of sexual activity. Silence--without actions demonstrating permission--cannot be assumed to show Consent. When alcohol or other drugs are being used, a person will be considered unable to give valid Consent if he/she cannot fully understand the details of a sexual interaction (who, what, when, where, why, or how) because he/she lack the capacity to reasonably understand the situation. Individuals who Consent to sex must be able to understand what they are doing.