Protective Orders

For assistance with filling out and filing a civil protective order, it is recommended that you call 765-423-4486 to schedule an appointment to visit the YWCA Domestic Violence Intervention & Prevention Program at 604 N. 6th Street in Lafayette. Protective order assistance hours are between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. or between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.  Monday through Friday. There is no charge for filing a protective order. Please make sure you have the address and birth date of the person who is named in the protective order.

Filing through the YWCA may make the process easier for you than filing on your own. The court system can often be confusing and complicated to navigate. Our advocates on staff work closely with police and prosecutors, with the goal of ensuring your safety.

Resources at DVIPP
The YWCA Domestic Violence Intervention & Prevention Program also can provide information on domestic violence, parenting and support groups, and how to work with the legal system. We can place calls on your behalf to counselors, attorneys, the prosecutor's office, and the police. We can help you try to find permanent housing and supply free 9-1-1 cell phones. If you are a woman, we can enlist the help of the police to get you and your children safely into our women's shelter.

First Step: Contact Police
If you find yourself in a situation of control, intimidation, or financial/emotional/physical harm, and the person threatening you is an intimate partner, someone you have dated, or someone you have been related to in some capacity, you must first file a police report to show you have asked for police assistance. You may be able to get a stalking protective order if the person harassing or threatening you is someone you briefly dated or someone who has bothered you on three or more instances and you have filed police reports. Stalking covers areas such as telephone calls, text messaging, e-mails and in-person contacts. In certain circumstances, your children also can be covered by the protective order if you can show a clear threat to their safety.

Protective Order is a Legal Document
It is important for those filing protective orders to be aware that what is written in their petition becomes a court record and the person they are filing against will receive a copy. Keeping this in mind, protective orders can be very effective in sending a clear message to someone that the legal system will step in if they continue to harass or threaten. As long as a protective order is not abused, it can accomplish many things, such as helping someone get their belongings back, establishing a temporary visitation schedule, and allowing a victim's voice to be heard.

Call for Help
For help with a domestic violence issue, please call 765-423-4486 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or call the 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 765-423-1118 (toll free at 1-888-345-1118). If you are in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1.