2025 Texas Statutes
Human Resources Code
Title 2 - Human Services and Protective Services in General
Subtitle E - Services for Families
Chapter 51 - Family Violence Centers
Section 51.002. Definitions
Sec. 51.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Dating relationship" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.0021(b), Family Code.
(1-a) "Dating violence" means an act, other than a defensive measure to protect oneself, by an individual against another individual with whom the actor has or has had a dating relationship and that is:
(A) intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault;
(B) a threat that reasonably places an individual in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault; or
(C) intended to inflict emotional harm, including an act of emotional abuse.
(1-b) "Family" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.003, Family Code.
(2) "Family violence" means:
(A) an act by a member of a family or household against another member of the family or household that:
(i) is intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault or that is a threat that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, but does not include defensive measures to protect oneself; or
(ii) is intended to inflict emotional harm, including an act of emotional abuse; or
(B) dating violence.
(3) "Family violence center" includes a family violence shelter center and a family violence nonresidential center.
(4) "Family violence nonresidential center" means a program that:
(A) is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization; and
(B) provides comprehensive nonresidential services to victims of family violence.
(5) "Family violence shelter center" means a program that:
(A) is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization; and
(B) provides comprehensive residential and nonresidential services to victims of family violence.
(6) "Family violence special project" means a project that:
(A) is operated by a public or private nonprofit organization; and
(B) provides at least one specialized family violence service.
(7) "Household" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.005, Family Code.
(8) "Member of a household" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.006, Family Code.
(8-a) "Trauma-informed" in regard to a service or service model means that the service or service model is provided in a manner that recognizes and responds to the signs and symptoms of trauma in, and the risks of trauma to, a victim of family violence to better support the victim and promote the victim's choice, trust, dignity, connection, and healing.
(9) "Victim of family violence" means:
(A) an adult member of a family or household who is subjected to an act of family violence;
(B) a member of the household of the adult described by Paragraph (A), other than the member of the household who commits the act of family violence, including an act of emotional abuse; or
(C) an individual who is subjected to an act of dating violence.
Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 3313, ch. 867, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 636, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 561, Sec. 36, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(27), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 6, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 164 (S.B. 1841), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2024.
