For purposes of a Domestic Violence “Protective Order,” Maryland law defines “Abuse” as the occurrence of one or more of the following acts:

• Assault
• An act that places a person in fear of imminent serious bodily harm
• An act that causes serious bodily harm
• Rape or sexual offense
• Attempted rape or sexual offense
• Stalking
• False imprisonment, such as interference with freedom, physically keeping you from leaving your home or kidnapping you.