PFA Assistance
DVSCP provides advocacy and accompaniment within the court system by assisting victims of abuse in completing a Protection From Abuse Order (PFA). DVSCP Counselors/Advocates assist with scheduling appointments with attorneys, completing PFA and warning letter paperwork, attending various PFA court proceedings, and advocating for clients throughout the civil proceedings in PFA court.
Frequently Asked Questions about PFAs
- In Pennsylvania, a PFA order from a court gives protective “relief” for a victim (and sometimes their children) for a period of up to three years (for final orders). A person can file for a PFA order from the court for themselves or on behalf of their minor children.
- A PFA describes various types of protections for the victim. For example, a PFA order can make it illegal for the abuser to contact, harass, and abuse the victim and the victim’s children; it may order the abuser to return personal property. An abuser’s violation of a PFA may result in criminal charges.
- Protection orders can work to deter certain abusers. A PFA is just one tool in a larger plan to be safe from abuse.
- Family or Household members (23 Pa.C.S. 6102)
- Spouses or persons who have been spouses
- Parents and Children
- Current or former sexual or intimate partners (most commonly filed)
- Persons who share biological parenthood
- Other persons related by blood or marriage (consanguinity or affinity)
- A parent, adult household member, or guardian ad litem may file on behalf of a minor child
- Pennsylvania’s PFA Act does not protect victims who experience abuse by a stranger, or a roommate with whom the victim is not intimately involved.
Abuse is defined as:
- Attempting to cause or intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury, serious bodily injury, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault or incest with or without a deadly weapon
- Placing another in reasonable fear of imminent serious bodily injury
- The infliction of false imprisonment pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. §2903
- Physically or sexually abusing minor children, including such terms as defined in Chapter 63 (relating to child protective services)
- Knowingly engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts toward another person, including following the person, without proper authority, under circumstances which place the person in reasonable fear of bodily injury.
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Please note, DVSCP advocates are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.
Individuals seeking to file for custody may do so without an attorney by completing the forms on the county website.