Disciplinary and Legal Options
Orders of Protection and Civil No Contact Orders
If you are a victim of sexual or domestic violence or believe yourself at risk, there are court orders to help protect you.
Orders of Protection
An order of protection is a court order that is specifically designed to stop violent and harassing behavior and to protect you and your family from the abuser. The abuser may be a boyfriend or girlfriend, or someone you date or dated, a spouse or ex-spouse, family member or caregiver.
A sexual or domestic violence victim in Illinois should NEVER ask for a "restraining order" because in Illinois a "restraining order" will NOT afford the same remedies or enforcement protections as an Illinois Order of Protection.
You can file for an order of protection on behalf of yourself, your minor child, an incapacitated adult, or another household member. In Illinois, same-sex partners, including someone you date, dated, or lived with, area eligible to file as well.
For more information on orders of protection and how to obtain them, see http://www.womenslaw.org/IL/IL_how_to.htm
Civil No Contact Orders
The Civil No Contact Order is a civil "stay away" order for rape victims who do not have a relationship with the offender. Under a CNCO, the court orders the offender not to have any contact with the victim.
For information on how to obtain a Civil No Contact Order, contact the closest ICASA
rape crisis center.
Forms necessary to obtain a Civil No Contact Order are available from the ICASA website below. These forms apply in every Illinois county except Cook. For copies of forms to obtain a Civil No Contact Order in Cook County, contact Kathleen Monahan, in the Office of the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk at 312 827-2452.
Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Chicago-wide 24-hour toll-free hotline:
1-888-293-2080
www.icasa.org
217-753-4117
