Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against the person - Assaults and injuries to the person

194A: Assault on person in family relationship

You could also call this:

“Hurting someone you're close to or used to be close to is against the law.”

If you attack someone you are in a family relationship with, you can go to prison for up to 2 years. This applies if you are currently in a family relationship with the person or if you were in the past.

The law defines what counts as a family relationship. You can find this definition in section 12 of the Family Violence Act 2018.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS139002.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Crime and justice > Victim support
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194: Assault on a child, or by a male on a female, or

“It's against the law to hurt a child or for a man to hurt a woman.”

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195: Ill-treatment or neglect of child or vulnerable adult, or

“A law that punishes people who seriously hurt or don't take care of kids or adults who need help.”

Part 8 Crimes against the person
Assaults and injuries to the person

194AAssault on person in family relationship

  1. Everyone is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who—

  2. assaults another person; and
    1. is, or has been, in a family relationship with that other person.

      1. In subsection (1), family relationship has the same meaning as in section 12 of the Family Violence Act 2018.

      2. Repealed
      Notes
      • Section 194A: inserted, on , by section 25(1) of the Family Violence (Amendments) Act 2018 (2018 No 47).
      • Section 194A(3): repealed, on , pursuant to section 25(2) of the Family Violence (Amendments) Act 2018 (2018 No 47).