In New Hampshire, as well as in other states, the legislature recognizes that the physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse between present or former intimate partners needs to have a useful remedy that provides dignity, compassion, and effective control through law enforcement and the courts.

The legal responses to the national problem are designed to protect victims and punish and/or rehabilitate offenders. This narrative does not cover the scope of every law that could also be considered domestic abuse, but it provides a framework for assessing the behaviors and the possible procedures and outcomes that are commonly found in domestic situations where abuse has been alleged.

A link has been provided that has the full text of most laws associated with domestic violence.