Elyse McKay

Currently, there is a significant gap in civil protections for survivors of sexual assault who do not qualify for an order under the domestic violence statute NH RSA 173-B (as they may not have a qualifying relationship with the perpetrator) or the stalking statute 633:3-a (as a sexual assault may be a single event not constituting a course of conduct), Sexual assault is the most underreported crime and it is critically important that survivors of sexual assault have a path to protection outside of the criminal justice process. This bill would fill that gap, while placing relatively minimal burden on the courts, law enforcement, and taxpayers as this protective order would largely follow processes already in place for domestic violence and stalking.