CHAPTER 173-B PROTECTION OF PERSONS FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Section 173-B:1
173-B:1 Definitions. –
In this chapter:
I. "Abuse" means the commission or attempted commission of one or more of the acts described in subparagraphs (a) through (i) by a family or household member or by a current or former sexual or intimate partner, where such conduct is determined to constitute a credible present threat to the petitioner's safety. In its analysis of abuse, the court may consider the presence of coercive control as defined in paragraph II-a. The court may also consider evidence of such acts, regardless of their proximity in time to the filing of the petition, which, in combination with recent conduct, reflects an ongoing pattern of behavior which reasonably causes or has caused the petitioner to fear for his or her safety or well-being:
(a) Assault or reckless conduct as defined in RSA 631:1 through RSA 631:3.
(b) Criminal threatening as defined in RSA 631:4.
(c) Sexual assault as defined in RSA 632-A:2 through RSA 632-A:5.
(d) Interference with freedom as defined in RSA 633:1 through RSA 633:3-a.
(e) Destruction of property as defined in RSA 634:1 and RSA 634:2.
(f) Unauthorized entry as defined in RSA 635:1 and RSA 635:2.
(g) Harassment as defined in RSA 644:4.
(h) Cruelty to animals as defined in RSA 644:8.
(i) Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images as defined in RSA 644:9-a.
II. "Applicant" means any private, town, city, or regional agency or organization applying for funds under RSA 173-B:16.
II-a. "Coercive control" means a pattern of conduct that includes, but is not limited to, a manifestation of the defendant's intent to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, coerce, control, or compel compliance, which causes the petitioner to reasonably fear for his or her physical safety. The acts may include, but are not limited to:
(a) Isolating the petitioner from friends, relatives, or other sources of support;
(b) Depriving the petitioner of basic needs;
(c) Controlling, regulating, or monitoring the petitioner's activities, communications, movements, finances, economic resources, or access to services, including through technological means;
(d) Compelling the petitioner to engage in a specific activity, including, but not limited to, criminal conduct;
(e) Threatening to publish, or actually publishing, sensitive personal information relating to the petitioner, other than making a good faith report to a law enforcement agency; or
(f) Any single act which is intended to threaten intimidate, harass, isolate, coerce, control, or compel compliance of a petitioner to reasonably fear for their physical safety, consisting of harming, or threating or attempting to harm, a child, relative, or animal belonging to the petitioner.
III. "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the department of health and human services.
IV. "Contact" means any action to communicate with another either directly or indirectly, including, but not limited to, using any form of electronic communication, leaving items, or causing another to communicate in such fashion.
V. "Coordinator" means the agency or organization appointed by the commissioner to administer the domestic violence grant program.
VI. "Cross orders for relief" means separate orders granted to parties in a domestic violence situation where each of the parties has filed a petition pursuant to this chapter on allegations arising from the same incident or incidents of domestic violence.
VII. "Deadly weapon" means "deadly weapon" as defined in RSA 625:11, V.
VIII. "Department" means the department of health and human services.
IX. "Domestic violence" means abuse as defined in RSA 173-B:1, I.
X. "Family or household member" means:
(a) Spouses, ex-spouses, persons cohabiting with each other, and persons who cohabited with each other but who no longer share the same residence.
(b) Parents and other persons related by consanguinity or affinity, other than minor children who reside with the defendant.
XI. "Firearm" means any weapon, including a starter gun, which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.
XII. "Foreign protective order" means an order enforceable under RSA 173-B:13.
XIII. "Fund" means the special fund for domestic violence programs established by RSA 173-B:15.
XIV. "Grantee" means any private, town, city, or regional agency or organization receiving funds under RSA 173-B:16.
XV. "Intimate partners" means persons currently or formerly involved in a romantic relationship, whether or not such relationship was ever sexually consummated.
XV-a. "Military protective order" means an order issued against a current member of United States Armed Forces, the New Hampshire national guard, or the national guard of another state or territory by the defendant's commanding officer, on a form prescribed by the United States Department of Defense.
XVI. "Mutual order for relief" means an order restraining both parties from abusing the other originating from a petition filed by one of the parties and arising from the same incident or incidents of domestic violence.
XVII. "Program" means services or facilities provided to domestic violence victims.