Dating Violence – Two Components of a Crime

According to Florida Law, “‘Dating violence’ means violence between individuals who have or have had a continuing and significant relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.”

The crime of dating violence requires that a couple is dating and that there is violence between the couple.

What is a relationship under the Dating Violence Law?

• The relationship lasted 6 months.
• There was an “expectation of affection or sexual involvement” between those in the relationship.
• The couple was “involved over time” and was together on a “continuous basis during the course of the relationship”.

What is violence under the Dating Violence Law?

• Violence is any aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, or false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death, by a person against the person they are in a relationship with.