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23. Interpretation

Official English translation. The Sinhala text prevails. Open the official Sinhala text, official PDF on documents.gov.lk

In this Act unless the context otherwise requires —

“child” means a person who is under the age of 18

years ;

“domestic violence” means—

(a)

an act which constitutes an offence specified in Schedule I ;

(b)

any emotional abuse, committed or caused by a relevant person within the environment of the home or outside and arising out of the personal relationship between the aggrieved person and the relevant person ;

“emotional abuse” means a pattern of cruel, inhuman, degrading or humiliating conduct of a serious nature directed towards an aggrieved person ;

“shared resources” means movable or immovable property which both the aggrieved person and the respondent have habitually used or have had access to ;

“relevant person” in relation to an aggrieved person means,

(a)

(i)

the spouse ;

(ii)

ex-spouse ;

(iii)

cohabiting partner , of an aggrieved person ;

(b)

(i)

the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother ;

(ii)

the son, daughter, grandson, grand daughter, stepson, stepdaughter ;

(iii)

the brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, step brother, step-sister ;

(iv)

siblings of a parent ;

(v)

the child of a sibling ;

(vi)

child of a sibling of a parent, of an aggrieved person or of the spouse, former spouse or cohabiting partner of the aggrieved person ;

“‘respondent’ in relation to a Protection Order or an

Interim Order means the relevant person against whom such Order is sought or made.

Prevention of Domestic Violence

Schedules