Domestic Violence Information

Did you know that Domestic Violence is a crime?

The Colorado State Law says that Domestic Violence is:

An act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved with in an intimate relationship. Domestic Violence includes any other crime against a person or property, including an animal when it is used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.

C.R.S. 18-6-800.3 (1)

There Are Many Types of Abuse:

  • Physical (hands on)
  • Verbal/Emotional/Psychological (hands off)
  • Sexual
  • Criminal Mischief (damaging your property)

Domestic Violence is Cyclical:


Tension Building

  • Everything you say or do makes them mad
  • You may be compliant, loving or compromising to keep your partner from escalating

Violent Episode

  • Your partner rages out of control
  • Battering occurs
  • You may disassociate to get through the violence

Hearts and Flowers

Your partner. . .

  • Is sorry, loving, or kind
  • Begs for forgiveness
  • Promises to get help
  • Buys gifts
  • Promises it will never happen again

Over time, the “hearts and flowers” portion of the cycle disappears. You are told that your BAD behavior is what causes your partner to “lose control”.

Safety During an Explosive Incident

  • Avoid rooms that don’t have an outside exit, or any room with a weapon
  • Devise a code word to use with family, friends, or neighbors for when to call police
  • Ask neighbors to call police if they hear a disturbance
  • Teach your children to go to a safe place to wait for the police, such as their bedroom, a neighbor’s or friend’s house.

Safety: When it is Time to Leave

  • Hide money; an extra set of car keys; clothing for you and your children (appropriate for the season); important documents such as birth certificates, social security numbers (yours, your partner’s, and children’s); driver’s license; copies of bills, ownership papers, insurance policies, health insurance information, marriage license, and bank account information; valuable jewelry; and a special toy for each of your children
  • Decide whom you can stay with, or if you go to a shelter, keep the shelter number and/or Victim Services number with you
  • You can contact the Broomfield City and County Central Records at 1 DesCombes Drive or the voter registration office in the county where you vote to ask for a confidentiality form to block personal information on your voter registration to be safe from your abuser
  • Obtain a protection order or contact Victim Services for information on Protection Order Assistance clinic times
  • Inform your family, friends, and children’s school about the protection order
  • Call 9-1-1 if the batterer breaks the protection order
  • Call 9-1-1 to report an Act of Violence

24-34-402.7 Unlawful action against employees seeking protection

Regarding leave for employees who seek protection as a victim of Domestic Violence, Stalking, or Sexual Assault

Employers shall permit an employee to take up to 3 working days of leave from work, with or without pay, in any 12-month period if the employee is the victim of:

  • Domestic abuse, Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) 13-14-101(2)
  • Stalking, C.R.S. 18-9-11
  • Sexual Assault, C.R.S. 18-3-4-2
  • Or any other crime in which the underlying factual basis has been found by a court on the record to include an act of domestic violence, C.R.S. 18-6-800.3.

This leave must be for seeking a civil protection order, obtaining medical care or mental health counseling, making their home secure from the perpetrator of the above acts, to seek new housing, or to seek legal assistance to address issues arising from these acts of violence.

This provision applies to employers who employ 50 or more employees and to employees who have been employed with the employer for 12 months or more.

An employee seeking this leave prior to receiving such leave shall exhaust any and all annual or vacation leave, personal leave, and sick leave (if applicable) that may be available to the employee, unless the employer waives the requirement.

All information related to the employee’s leave pursuant to this section shall be kept confidential by the employer. It is unlawful for any employer to interfere with, restrain, discharge, discriminate, or deny the exercise any attempt to exercise any rights provided under this section.

A person claiming to be aggrieved by a violation of this section may sue civilly for damages, including all wages or benefits that would have been due the person, or equitable relief, or both, in any district court of competent jurisdiction.

13-14-102 Civil Protection Orders

A temporary protection order may be issued if the issuing judge or magistrate finds that an imminent danger exists to the person or persons seeking protection under the civil protection order.

“Imminent danger” is the health or life of one or more persons, considering the circumstances surrounding the most recent incident of abuse or threat of harm and any other relevant evidence regarding the safety or the person(s) seeking this order.

Employers May Get Protection Orders

If the judge or magistrate finds that an imminent danger exists to the employees of a business entity, he or she may issue a civil protection order in the name of that business for the protection of the employees.

An employer shall not be liable for failing to obtain a protection order in the name of the business for the protection of the employees and patrons.

To obtain a copy of these amended laws in their entirety, see House Bill 02-1052 on the Colorado General Assembly’s website at: http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/stateleg.html or the State of Colorado website under Colorado Revised Statutes (CRS) at: http://www.colorado.gov/government.htm.

Resources for Help

  • Broomfield Police Department Emergency 9-1-1 Voice/TDD
  • Non-Emergency 303-438-6400 Voice/TDD
  • Alternatives to Family Violence 303-289-4441 (Adams)
  • Safehouse Progressive Alliance For Non-Violence 303-444-2424 (Boulder) 303-673-9000 (Lafayette Office)
  • Women in Crisis 303-420-6752 (Jefferson County)
  • Greeley Safehouse (A Woman’s Place) 970-356-4226 (Weld County)
  • Project Safeguard (Legal Advocacy) 303-637-7761 or 303-863-7233
  • Brandon Center (Volunteers of America) 303-620-9190
  • Gateway Battered Women’s Shelter 303-343-1851 (North) 303-761-7721 (South)
  • Domestic Violence Initiative for Women With Disabilities 303-839-5510
  • Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley 303-772-4422
  • Asian Pacific Development Center 303-393-0304