What you need to know about
Protection from Abuse Orders in Kansas

Developed by Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
5/08




What is a Protection From Abuse (PFA) Order?

A PFA Order is a civil court action intended to stop the abuse against you and/or your child/ren. To qualify for a PFA Order you and the abuser must be intimate partners or living in the same house, meaning you must:

How to Apply for a Protection From Abuse Order

When the court is open:

What Can Happen Under a Protection From Abuse Order?

When you receive a protection order, the Court can do any of the following things:

What is a “Mutual Order” and How Can it Hurt You?

A “mutual” order prevents both of you from abusing, mistreating, or interfering with the privacy or rights of each other. BOTH parties may be kept from contacting each other.

A mutual order can hurt you in the following ways:


Two ways a mutual order can be issued against you:

The first way is when the abuser files a counter-petition against you. You must then be served with the counter-petition. At the final hearing, the judge will decide if you and the abuser were both primary aggressors and if neither of you acted in self-defense.

OR

The second way a mutual order can be issued is if you agree or consent to it.

If a counter-petition is filed against you or you are urged to consent to a mutual order, think seriously about contacting an attorney to find out about any negative consequences.

Other Things You Should Know

Special Issues Concerning Immigrant Women

Can I get a PFA order if I am not a U.S. citizen?

YES. Regardless of your immigration status, you have a right to be protected.

Will I be deported if I get a PFA order?

You do not need to be a citizen or legal permanent resident to get a protection order. Generally, civil courts do not ask about a woman’s immigration status when seeking a protection order. However, you can contact the local domestic violence shelter or legal services office to find out about the policy in your courts.

If you are a naturalized citizen, lawful permanent resident, or a valid visa holder, you are not likely to be deported unless you have violated certain immigration laws or committed certain crimes.

If you are undocumented, you may be at risk depending on the policies of your local court. There are immigration remedies for women who are abused by their partners and you may be eligible for one of them. You may want to contact an immigration attorney to get additional information. In the meantime, do what you need to do to be safe. Contact your local domestic violence shelter or victim advocacy program to learn about local community resources for victims of domestic violence. By law, these programs should contact an interpreter if you do not speak English.

Will my partner be deported if I get a PFA order?

If you contact the police and your partner is convicted of a crime, your partner may be deported, depending on immigration status and the seriousness of the crime. Violation of a PFA order is a deportable offense.

Advocates may be available to assist you with the filing of your PFA order, accompany you to court and provide information to you and your children. Call your local domestic violence and/or sexual assault program for assistance.

The information found in this brochure is a summary of the law. For more information or legal advice, you should seek the assistance of an attorney.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR COPY OF THE PFA ORDER WITH YOU!

IN AN EMERGENCY CALL 911!

For support, call the domestic violence and/or sexual assault program nearest you (see "Kansas Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline Numbers" below), the KANSAS CRISIS HOTLINE at: 1-888-END ABUSE (1-888-363-2287) or the NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE at: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).

IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE, TAKE WITH YOU. . .

YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN DESERVE TO BE SAFE.


KANSAS SEXUAL and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELPLINE NUMBERS

Programs are listed below the map, alphabetically by city, services provided, program names and their HOTLINE phone numbers. The numbers on the map correspond to the programs listed. Call the program nearest you. You do not have to live in the city where the program is located to use their services.

Kansas map with areas of service covered by domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy programs
DV = domestic violence services provided    SA = sexual assault services provided

CITY SERVICES KCSDV MEMBER PROGRAM CRISIS HOTLINE NUMBER
1. Atchison DV/SA DoVES 800-367-7075 or 913-367-0363
2. Dodge City DV/SA Crisis Center of Dodge City 620-225-6510
3. El Dorado DV/SA Family Life Center of Butler County 800-870-6967 or 316-321-7104
4. Emporia DV/SA SOS, Inc. 800-825-1295 or 620-342-1870
5. Garden City DV/SA Family Crisis Services 800-275-0535 or 620-275-5911
6. Great Bend DV/SA Family Crisis Center 866-792-1885 or 620-792-1885
7. Hays DV/SA Northwest Kansas Domestic and Sexual Violence Services 800-794-4624 or 785-625-3055
8. Hutchinson DV/SA Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center 800-701-3630 or 620-663-2522
9. Iola DV/SA Hope Unlimited 620-365-7566
10. Kansas City DV El Centro, Inc. ¡Si Se Puede! 913-281-1186
11. Kansas City DV Friends of Yates Joyce Williams Center 913-321-0951
12. Kansas City DV/SA KCAVP 816-561-0550
13. Kansas City SA MOCSA 816-531-0233
14. Lawrence SA GaDuGi Safe Center 785-841-2345
15. Lawrence/Ottawa DV Women's Transitional Care Services 800-770-3030 or 785-843-3333
16. Leavenworth DV/SA Alliance Against Family Violence 800-644-1441 or 913-682-9131
17. Liberal DV/SA Liberal Area Rape Crisis and DV Services 620-624-8818
18. Manhattan DV/SA The Crisis Center, Inc. 800-727-2785 or 785-539-2785
19. Mayetta DV/SA Prairie Band Potawatomi Family Violence Prevention Program 866-966-0173 or 785-966-2932
20. Newton DV/SA Harvey County DV/SA Task Force 800-487-0510 or 316-283-0350
21. Overland Park/Miami County DV/SA Safehome 888-432-4300 or 913-262-2868
22. Pittsburg DV/SA Crisis Resource Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. 800-794-9148 or 620-231-8251
23. Salina DV/SA Domestic Violence Assoc. of Central Kansas 800-874-1499 or 785-827-5862
24. Topeka DV/SA YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment 888-822-2983 or 785-354-7927
25. Ulysses DV/SA DoVES of Grant County 888-229-8812 or 620-356-2608
26. Wichita DV Catholic Charities Harbor House 866-899-5522 or 316-263-6000
27. Wichita DV StepStone 316-265-1611
28. Wichita SA Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center 316-263-3002
29. Wichita DV YWCA Women's Crisis Center 316-267-7233
30. Winfield DV/SA Safe Homes, Inc. 800-794-7672 or 620-221-4357



This grant project is funded or partially funded by the Federal S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Grant Program as administered by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ Grants Program. The opinions, findings and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication, program, or exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of the Kansas Governor or the U. S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.




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