PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN UTAH
Numbers provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that one in three women in Utah will experience domestic violence, compared to one in four nationwide. See Domestic Violence in Utah higher than National Average (July 11, 2014). The Utah Department of Health found that approximately 32 percent of all homicides in the state of Utah were domestic violence-related. See Utah Dept. of Health report on domestic violence homicides. The numbers are staggering, with an average domestic violence related murders happening every 33 days, and approximately three domestic violence suicides a month.
Seek legal help to learn why and how to document threats and harm against you and/or your children. Learn how to provide notice and proof to law enforcement and the court system that your spouse or significant other is threatening you.
If you need to leave your home, but are unable to do so due to money, there are shelters in parts of Utah that provide assistance to those who need to get away from the danger and get basic help getting back on their feet.
If you need greater protection, you may consider a concealed weapons permit, which Utah will issue after you take the required class and pass the background check. A concealed firearms permit (CFP) does not condoning violence, it is merely a safety precaution that allows men and women the ability to protect themselves from serious physical abuse.
Seek Legal Help: Legal Aid will help free of charge, regardless of the applicant’s income. Legal Aid Society’s Domestic Violence Victim Assistance program provides full legal representation to victims of domestic violence to obtain a protective order against a cohabitant abuser or a civil stalking injunction against a non-cohabitant abuser.
Legal Aid Salt Lake: 801-238-7170
Legal Aid Utah County: 801-374-6766
Seek a Shelter: There are shelters throughout the state that provide services for families that have been affected by domestic violence. This could provide temporary housing, referral programs, counseling, transportation, and more. Please call the statewide confidential domestic violence hot line at 1-800-897-5465, they are available 24/7.
Support Groups:
Click here for a complete list throughout the state of Utah.
Utah Domestic Violence Advisory Counsel: 801-521-5544
Utah County Attorney Victim Assistance: 801-851-8026
Wasatch County Victim Assistance: 435-654-3211
Centro de la familia (Spanish): 801-521-4473
Salt Lake Victim Assistance: 801-412-3660