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Keeping Your Family Safe
What can the police do to help me?
In British Columbia, it is a criminal offence (a crime) for anyone - including your spouse - to assault you or your children, or to harass or stalk you, to threaten you with bodily harm or to damage your property.
If you feel afraid or threatened by your spouse, you need to go to the police right away. Once the police have talked to you, they will decide if there is enough evidence to prove that your spouse has committed a criminal offence.
- If there is enough evidence, the police will probably arrest your spouse or former spouse and ask the Crown counsel (a lawyer employed by the government) to lay a criminal charge. If the Crown approves the charge, your spouse will have to go to court.
- If there is not enough evidence, or if the Crown decides that it is not in the public interest to proceed with charges, the police may apply for a peace bond - also called an "810 recognizance" - to protect you from your spouse, or they may recommend that you apply for a civil restraining order.
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