Repeat Violence vs. Sexual Violence vs. Dating Violence in Florida

In the Florida legislature there is a legal difference between repeat violence, sexual violence, and dating violence. These terms are defined in statute 784.046.

Violence Defined

According to the statute, the term violence in Florida is defined as any of the following:

• Assault or aggravated assault
• Battery or aggravated battery
• Sexual assault or battery
• Stalking or kidnapping
• And any other offense resulting in physical injury

Repeat Violence means 2 incidents of violence committed by a single person within 6 months of each other.

Sexual Violence

Simply put, sexual violence is any act defined as “violence” committed in a sexual context. Specifically, sexual Violence includes any of the following:

• Sexual battery
• A lewd act committed upon or in the presence of someone under the age of 16
• Sexual performance by a child
• Any felony in which a sexual act is committed

Dating Violence

Dating violence includes any violent act between 2 people who are in a romantic relationship. In order to be charged with dating violence, there are several qualifying characteristics:

• The relationship between the 2 parties in question must have existed within the past 6 months.
• There must have been an expectation of affection amongst the parties in the relationship.

Basically dating violence has to involve 2 parties who are or have recently been in a significant romantic relationship. This type of violence does not apply to people in casual social relationships.