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Citizens of Boston: Ifyouarebeinghurtbydomestic violence,thispamphletwillassistin explaininghowyoucangethelpand protection. TheBostonPolice Departmentwantsyoutobesafeandhelp youstoptheabuse. |Noonedeservestobebeatenor threatenedwithharm. Get Help! Ifyouhavebeenhit,forcedtohavesex, ortlireatenedbyyourspouse,ex-spouse,a household,orformerhouseholdmember, abloodrelative,theparentofyourchild, orapersonwithwhomyouhavehada substantialdatingrelationshipyouare beingabused. TheAbusePreventionLaw,Chapter209A wasenactedtohelpkeepyoufrombeing abused. TheAbusePreventionLawwill allowthecourttoissueaprotectionorder notifyingyourabusertostoptheabuse. Thisorderismostcommonlyknownasa restrainingorder. Thepoliceare responsibleforenforcingtherestraining order. Thepolice,courts,orshelterscanassistor adviseyouinobtainingarestrainingorder. Thepolicecanassistyouingettingan emergencyrestrainingorder(whichis validonlyuntilthenextcourtbusiness day.) Anemergencyrestrainingordercan beobtainedbythepoliceanytimethe courtisclosed. Thepolicewill contactan on-calljudge. Youwill begivenacopy andthepohcewillattempttoserveacopy toyourabuser. Youmaygotoyourlocalcourtandapply foratemporaryorder(validfor 10days.) Onceatemporaryorderis issued,you mustretumtothecourtforahearing. Thishearingwillgiveyoutheopportunity tobeheardonthematter. Theorder(ExtendedRestrainingOrder) issuedforalongerperiodoftimecanbe extendedforuptooneyear. What can the court order? The court can orderyourabuserto: • restrain from abuse • vacate yourhousehold, building orworkplace • give up custody ofaminor child • supportyou andyourminor child (ifyourabuserhas a legal obligation to do so) • reimburse you formonetary losses (such as replacing locks, restoringutilities, loss of earnings, etc.) • other orders (accordingto your specific needs) How do you obtain an order? Go to the Clerk's office ofthe District Court, Superior Court, orProbate andFamily Courtthathasjurisdiction where you live orw^here the abuse occurred. Tell the Clerkwhy youwantto file a Complaint forProtection fromAbuse. (This isnotacriminal complaint.) After youhave completedthis formyouwill speakto ajudge and explain what happened andwhyyou need protection. Thejudge can grant aTemporary Order valid for 10 days. Youwill be given a copy ofthe temporary orderanda summons to returntothe court within 10 days for ahearing. The "10 dayhearing" is w^hen thejudge will decide whetherornotto extendthe order. Always keep a copy ofthe orderwithyou. Who gives the order to the abuser? Police are responsible forgiving the orderto the abuser. The abusermust receive a copy ofthe orderfor itto be valid. However, youareprotectedwhetherornot the abuserreceives a copy. Pro\ide as much information as possible aboutyourabuserto help the police findyour abuser. Before leaving the courthouse, be certainthat the court gives the ordertopolice. Make arrangements forpolice to servethe orderto yourabuser. Why do have to attend the I "10 day hearing"? The 10 dayhearing is scheduledto allowbothyou and yourabuserto appearbefore thejudge to tell what happened. Bring anywitness orevidence youmight have to supportyourtestimony. Ifthe abuserdoes not appear, the hearing will stillbe held. Youwill tell the judge exactlywhathappened andwhatorders youwish foryourprotection. Thejudgewill decide whetheror notto extendthe orderandmay extendthe orderforup i to one year. Youmust appearatthis hearing orthe order will automaticallybe dismissed. Later, ifyourneed forprotectionchanges, youmay returnto the court and askthejudgeto change or remove the order. Getacopy ofthis orderandkeep it withyou. How the order enforced? is Violation ofthe Orderis acrime. Ifyourabuserviolates the order, call 9-1-1 atonce. Explain (to the 9-1-1 operator) thatyourabuserhas violatedthe restraining orderand ask forhelp at once. Give adescription of yourabuserandhis car(ifhe is operating a car.) Write downthename ofthe officerwho assists you. Thepolice areresponsible forenforcingtheRestraining Order. They are to: • be concernedaboutyou andyourchildren's safety • remainatthe scene ofabuseuntil everyone is safe • assistyou in getting medical treatment ifyou are injured • informyou ofyourrights andgive youacopy ofthe Abuse Law Rights • activatethe EmergencyJudicial Response System whenthe court is closed (to get an Emergency Order) • arrestthepersonthe officerwitnesses orhasprobable causetobelieve has 1. Violated atemporary orpermanent a. vacate order b. restraining order c. no contact order d. judgment (issuedinaccordance to Chapter208 Sec. 18, 34B, 34C orChapter209ASec. 3,4 or 5, orChapter209C Sec. 15 or Sec. 20.) 2. Committeda felony 3. Committed amisdemeanorinvolving abuse as definedby law 4. Committedan assault andbattery (MGL265 Sec. 13A) • tell youthatthe abuser, ifarrested, will be eligible for bail andmaybe released • helpyou getto a safeplace • write apolicereport ofthe incident What if the police are unable to make an arrest? Ifthepolice areunable to make an arrest, youmay goto the Clerk's Office ofthe District Court andfile an application forcriminal complaint. Tell the Clerk about the crime andthepersonwho committedthe crime. If the Clerk schedules a"show cause hearing"to decide whetherornotto issue criminal complaints, the accused personwill receivenotice to appearbefore the court. Youmustbepresent atthis hearingto tell what happened. Bring anywitnesses orevidence - including a copy ofthe Police Incident Report. Youmay get a free copy ofyourPolice Incident Report from BostonPolice Headquarters, Insurance Reports, 1 SchroederPlaza, MA Boston, 02120 orcall 617-343-4322. Duringthe "show cause hearing" the Clerkwill allow you andthe person accusedofthe crimeto speakabout what happened. Ifthe Clerkgrants a criminal complaint, the DistrictAttorney's Officewill assign an Assistant DistrictAttorneytoprosecute the case. The Assistant DistrictAttorney andtheVictim Witness Advocate will talkwith youto find outwhat happened. Theywill explainyourrights as a crime victim. They will explainthe courtprocess and assistyou. It is important that you make safetyplans in addition to obtaining arestraining order. Asheltercanhelp you knowwhat is available to you. The Boston Police Departmentwants youto be safe. In an emergency call 9-1-1 forofficers to come toyour aid. To checkthe status ofyourcourt case call the VictimWitnessAdvocate andthe DistrictAttorney's Office. The Domestic Violence Detective can assistyou withthe investigation ofyourcase. Ifyouhave additional questions, orneed assistance call the Domestic Violence Unit at 617-343-4350. & Numbers Addresses: IE Police Emergency 9-1-1 DomesticViolence Unit 617-343-4350 Battered Women's Hotline 1-800-992-2600 Boston Police Domestic Violence Detectives AreaA-1 617-343-4807 40NewSudburyStreet,Boston, MA 02114 Downtown, Charlestown, NorthEnd, Chinatown AreaA-7 617-343-4808 MA 7Paris Street, EastBoston, 02128 EastBoston AreaB-2 617-343-4809 MA 135 DudleyStreet,Roxbury, 02119 Roxbury, NorthDorchester AreaB-3 617-343-4810 MA 1165 BlueHillAvenue, Dorchester, 02124 DorchesterMattapan AreaC-11 617-343-4786 MA 40GibsonStreet, Dorchester, 02122 Dorchester AreaC-6 617-343-4741 MA 101 WestBroadway, SouthBoston, 02127 SouthBoston AreaD-4 617-343-4811 MA 650HarrisonAve., Boston, 02118 SouthEnd, BackBay, Fenway AreaD-14 617-343-4812 MA 301 WashingtonStreet, Brighton, 02135 Brighton,Allston AreaE-5 617-343-4813 MA 1708 Centre Street,WestRoxbury, 02132 WestRoxbury, Roslindale, JamaicaPlain AreaE-13 617-343-5630 3345 Washington Street,JamaicaPlain, 02130 JamaicaPlain, Roxbury AreaE-18 617-343-4814 1249HydeParkAvenue, HydePark, MA 02136 HydePark, Mattapan Hospitals Boston MedicalCenter CarneyHospital 818 HarrMisAonAve. 2100DorcheMstAerAve. Boston, 02118 Dorchester, 02124 Emergency 617-414-5000 Phone 617-296-4000 Pediatric 617-534-4991 Brigham &Women's FaulknerHospital 75 Francis Street 1153 Centre Street Boston, MA 02120 JamaicaPlain, MA 02130 Phone 617-732-5636 Phone 617-522-5800 617-732-6000 1 Children's Hospital Mass. GeneralHospital 300 LongwoodAve. 55 Fruit Street MA MA Boston, 02120 Boston, 02114 Phone 617-355-6000 617-726-2000 Shelter and Counseling Casa MyrnaVasquez D.V. SafelinkHotline Boston, MA Phone 1-877-785-2020 Phone 1-800-992-2600 TransitionHouse Finex House P.O. Box530 MA Phone 617-288-1054 Cambridge, 02238 Phone 617-661-7203 Suffolk County District Boston Municipal Court Attorney's Office DistrictAttorney'sOffice DistrictCourtDivision 1 BullfinchPlace MA (VictimAVitnessAdvocateAssistance) Boston, 02114 AssistantDA.sand V/WAdvocate 617-619-4050 Victim/WitnessAdvocatesare courtforBackBay,NorthEnd availableattheCourthouse: andSouthEnd MondaythroughFriday DorchesterDist. Court Brighton District Court DistrictAttorney'sOffice 52AcademyHillRoad 510WashingtonStreet Brighton,MA 02135 Dorchester,MA 02124 VAVAdvocate 617-782-5236 VAVAdvocate 617-287-1195 courtforBrightonandAIIston courtformostofDorchesterand East Boston District Court Mattapan 37MeridianStreet Roxbury Dist. Court EastBoston,MA 02128 85WarrenStreet V/WAdvocate 617-567-8650 Roxbury,MA 02119 617-567-8651 V/WAdvocate 617-445-8618 courtforEastBostonand courtformostofRoxburyand Winthrop someofBackBay South Boston Dist. Court West RoxburyDist. Court 535Broadway 445Arborway(nearForestHills SouthBoston,MA 02127 MBTAstation) V/WAdvocate 617-269-7777 JamaicaPlain,MA 02130 courtforSouthBoston VAVAdvocate 617-522-447 courtforHydePark,Jamaica Plain,RosUndale, WestRoxbury, someofRoxbwyandDorchester Legal Greater Boston Legal Mental Health Services BatteredWomen's Massachusetts Mental Advocacy Project 74 Fenwood Road MA 197 Friend Street Boston, 02115 MA Boston, 02114 Phone 617-626-9300 617-371-1234 FundedbyagrantIromtheU.S.Department ofJustice-OfficeofVictimsofCrimes DEPARTMENT Domestic Violence Unit Sciiroeder Plaza 1 MA Boston, 02120 617-343-4350