From: logon23x@gmail.com   
      
   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/DOMESTIC ABUSE DEFINITIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS   
   1/8/2015   
   TABLE OF CONTENTS   
   State Laws on Domestic Violence or Abuse   
   Additional Resources   
   About This Project   
   CONTACT   
   Human Services Program, Denver office, 303-364-7700   
   Rachel Morgan, Washington D.C., office, (202) 624-3569   
   Domestic violence and abuse, an issue that is never far from the headlines,   
   continues to be a pervasive issue in the United States. State legislatures are   
   at the forefront of defining and penalizing domestic violence and abuse.   
   States vary in their domestic violence provisions. Approximately 38 states   
   place domestic violence definitions and penalties within the criminal code and   
   nearly every state provides a definition within the domestic relations or   
   social services codes.    
   Within this variance are broad definitions that may include stalking,   
   harassment and, in some instances, nonphysical abuse including intimidation   
   and emotional abuse.   
   Some states also have addressed child witnessing of domestic violence.   
   Approximately 23 states address child witnessing of domestic violence   
   somewhere in statute. While some consider it an aggravating circumstance when   
   sentencing a perpetrator, other    
   states have created a separate offense that may be levied. View the Child   
   Welfare Information Gateway Child Witnesses to Domestic Violence report for a   
   discussion of the crossover between child abuse and neglect and domestic   
   violence.   
   Within the realm of domestic violence and abuse are various other topics,   
   including protection orders, safe court processes and custody and visitation   
   or parenting time. According to the American Bar Association, the presence of   
   domestic violence is a    
   factor considered when determining custody and visitation in all 50 states and   
   the District of Columbia.   
   Below is a chart with basic state provisions regarding domestic violence or   
   abuse, the definitions of conduct amounting to domestic violence or abuse, and   
   the relationships where that conduct may be considered domestic violence or   
   abuse.   
   The box allows you to conduct a full text search or use the dropdown menu   
   option to select a state.   
      
      
   Mississippi   
   Miss. Code Ann. § 93-21-3   
   (a) "Abuse" means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts between   
   spouses, former spouses, persons living as spouses or who formerly lived as   
   spouses, persons having a child or children in common, other individuals   
   related by consanguinity or    
   affinity who reside together or who formerly resided together or between   
   individuals who have a current or former dating relationship:   
   (i) Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly causing   
   bodily injury or serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon;   
    (ii) Placing, by physical menace or threat, another in fear of imminent   
   serious bodily injury;   
   (iii) Criminal sexual conduct committed against a minor within the meaning of   
   Section 97-5-23;   
   (iv) Stalking within the meaning of Section 97-3-107;   
   (v) Cyberstalking within the meaning of Section 97-45-15;   
   (vi) Sexual offenses within the meaning of Section 97-3-65 or 97-3-95.   
   "Abuse" does not include any act of self-defense.   
      
      
   http://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/domestic-violence-do   
   estic-abuse-definitions-and-relationships.aspx   
      
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