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Family & Safety

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Protection from abuse

Survivors of family violence, stalking, or sexual assault have important legal rights and protections. Learn more with our information and forms.

For immediate assistance and resources, learn more about organizations that can assist survivors of 

Illinois protective and restraining orders common questions
Explore the different kinds of restraining orders and protective orders available in Illinois to keep you safe.
FAQ
Domestic or family violence
(13 resources)
Domestic violence common questions
Explore what domestic violence is and what acts may be considered domestic violence.
FAQ
Getting a domestic violence Order of Protection basics
Explore what an Order of Protection is and how it can help a survivor of domestic violence.
Guide
Getting a domestic violence Order of Protection
Learn more about a domestic violence Order of Protection and how to get one.
FAQ
Starting a case to get a domestic violence Order of Protection
Learn the steps to get a domestic violence Order of Protection.
How-To
Order of Protection
This Easy Form helps you ask the court to order someone to stop harming or threatening you, your children, or other household members.
Easy Form
Emergency Order of Protection - Cook County
This Easy Form helps you ask the court to order someone to stop harming or threatening you, your children, or other household members. Email your forms to the court. For use only in Cook County.
Easy Form
Responding to a domestic violence Order of Protection basics
Learn more about how to respond when a domestic violence Order of Protection is filed against you.
Guide
Responding to a domestic violence Order of Protection case common questions
Learn more about what an Order of Protection is and how it affects someone if a petition for one is filed against you.
FAQ
Responding to a domestic violence Order of Protection case
Learn more about options if a petition for an Order of Protection has been filed against you.
How-To
Enforcing a domestic violence Order of Protection basics
Learn more about ways to enforce a domestic violence Order of Protection.
Guide
Enforcing a domestic violence Order of Protection
Learn more about how a survivor of domestic violence can enforce their Order of Protection.
FAQ
Starting a case to enforce a domestic violence Order of Protection
Learn more about the steps needed to enforce a domestic violence Order of Protection against an abuser who violates the order.
How-To
Orders of Protection training for Legal Answers volunteers
A brief video training that covers Orders of Protection, including emergency orders, plenary orders, and termination/extension of existing orders. This training is designed for volunteers in ILAO's Legal Answers program, but is suitable for anyone interested in this topic.
Video
Stalking
(5 resources)
Protection from stalking basics
Learn more about stalking, what it is, and what legal options are available to survivors.
Guide
Stalking and Stalking No Contact Orders
Learn more about stalking, what it is, and legal options to protect a stalking survivor.
FAQ
Starting a case to get a Stalking No Contact Order
Learn about steps to take to get a Stalking No Contact Order in Illinois.
How-To
Stalking No Contact Order
A program to help you ask the court to order a person who is stalking you to stay away and stop contacting you.
Easy Form
Petition for Stalking No Contact Order - Cook County
Use this form to ask the judge to order a stalker to stay away and stop contacting you. Only for Cook County.
Form link
Sexual assault
(5 resources)
Protection from sexual assault basics
Learn more about what sexual assault is and the legal protections for survivors of sexual assault.
Guide
Sexual assault and Civil No Contact Orders
Learn more about sexual assault, what it is, and the options available to help survivors of sexual assault.
FAQ
Starting a case to get a sexual assault Civil No Contact Order
Learn more about the steps to getting a sexual assault Civil No Contact Order in Illinois.
How-To
Civil No Contact Order
This Easy Form helps you ask the court to order a perpetrator of sexual assault or abuse to stay away from the survivor, their family, and their home.
Easy Form
Sexual assault exams
Learn more about Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act and the rights it provides to sexual assault survivors, including medical forensic exams.
FAQ
Safety planning
(7 resources)
Domestic violence safety planning
Learn more about safety planning issues survivors of domestic violence may experience.
FAQ
Domestic violence safety planning checklist
Explore a checklist of safety planning tips designed to keep domestic violence survivors safe.
FAQ
Stalking safety planning
Learn more about ways survivors of stalking can plan to increase their safety.
FAQ
Sexual assault safety planning
Explore different ways to develop a safety plan for survivors of sexual assault.
FAQ
Protecting your address as a domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or stalking survivor
Learn more about the Illinois Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program and ways it can protect survivors of violence.
FAQ
Tracking devices and abuse
Learn about tracking devices, including how they are used in abusive relationships and how to deal with them.
FAQ
Housing protections for survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault
Learn more about the housing rights and protections survivors have under the Illinois Safe Homes Act and the Violence Against Women Act.
FAQ
Workplace protections for survivors of abuse
(5 resources)
Protections and rights of survivors of violence in the workplace common questions
Explore what rights survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault have in their workplace.
FAQ
Getting a Workplace Protection Restraining Order for an employee basics
Explore information about how an employer can get a Workplace Protection Restraining Order in Illinois.
Guide
Getting a Workplace Protection Restraining Order for an employee
Learn more about what a Workplace Protection Restraining Order is and how an employer can get one for an employee who is a domestic violence survivor.
FAQ
Starting a case to get a Workplace Protection Restraining Order for an employee
This how-to provides steps for employers to ask for a court order if they are concerned about an employee who is a domestic violence survivor and violence in the workplace.
How-To
Request time off work after surviving violence
A program to help you request time off of work to deal with problems caused by violence under Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA).
Easy Form
Other protection from abuse
(3 resources)
Protection from abuse and neglect for senior citizens
Explains laws that protect older people in Illinois from abuse. Includes how to get an Order of Protection ("restraining order").
Text article
Which protective order is right for me?
A simple interview to help you decide if you should ask for an Order of Protection, a Civil No Contact Order, or a Stalking No Contact Order.
Decision tree
Firearms Restraining Orders
Learn more about Firearm Restraining Orders and how to obtain one to help a person in crisis.
FAQ