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Criminal Code of Canada sections relating to Dating/Domestic Violence
The sections below outline the exact offences that an offender can be charged with:
264.1(1) Uttering
Threats - Every one commits an offence who, in any manner, knowingly
utters, conveys or causes any person to receive a threat
(a) to
cause death or bodily harm to any person;
(b) to burn, destroy or damage real or personal property; or
(c) to kill, poison or injure an animal or bird that is the property of
any person.
265(1) Assault
- A person commits an assault when
(a) without the consent of the other person, he applies force intentionally
to that other person, directly or indirectly;
(b) he attempts or threatens, by an act or gesture, to apply force to
another person, if he has, or causes that other person to believe on reasonable
grounds that he has, present ability to effect his purpose; or
(c) while openly wearing or carrying a weapon or an imitation thereof,
he accosts or impedes another person or begs.
267 Assault
with a weapon or causing bodily harm - Every one who, in committing
an assault,
(a) carries,
uses or threatens to use a weapon or an imitation thereof, or
(b) causes bodily harm to the complainant.
268(1) Aggravated assault - Every one commits and aggravated assault who wounds, maims, disfigures or endangers the life of the complainant.
These Criminal Code sections refer to physical violence. However, there are other types of abuse that can be present in relationships. Besides physical abuse there can be emotional, psychological, sexual, financial and/or spiritual abuse present in violent relationships. Just because you are not being hit, does not mean that you are not in an abusive relationship. Other types of abuse may not result in criminal charges being laid, but they are abusive just the same. All types of abusive relationships are harmful, wrong, may escalate to physical violence and therefore, you may want to consider leaving to keep yourself safe.
