Helpful Resources
All links to external websites (below) will redirect you to an external organization. Skagit County Clerk's Office is not responsible for the content on these external websites.
About VINELink
VINELink is the online version of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), the National Victim Notification Network. This service allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day. Some states have the ability to display this website in Spanish. Please click on the state where you wish to search. If this option is available, you will see an "English | Espanol" toggle in the upper right corner of the webpage. Victims and other concerned citizens can also register to be notified by phone, email, text message (SMS), or TTY device when an offender's custody status changes. Users can also register through their participating state or county toll-free number. Go to the Washington State VINELink website for online services.
About Domestic Violence
Please visit the Skagit Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services (skagitdvsas.org) or call (360) 336-9591, for more information about what abuse is, warning signs to watch for, and what resources may be available to you.
Common Definitions
- Domestic Violence means: (a) physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration; unlawful harassment; or stalking of one intimate partner by another intimate partner; or (b) physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the infliction of fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault; nonconsensual sexual conduct or nonconsensual sexual penetration; unlawful harassment; or stalking of one family or household member by another family or household member.
- Family or Household Members means: (a) persons related by blood, marriage, domestic partnership, or adoption; (b) persons who currently or formerly resided together; (c) persons who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents and stepchildren and grandparents and grandchildren, or a parent's intimate partner and children; and (d) a person who is acting or has acted as a legal guardian.
- Intimate Partner means: (a) spouses or domestic partners; (b) former spouses or former domestic partners; (c) persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together at any time; or (d) persons who have or have had a dating relationship where both persons are at least 13 years of age or older.
- Stalking means: (a) any act of stalking as defined under RCW 9A.46.110; or (b) any act of cyberstalking as defined under RCW 9A.90.120; or (c) any course of conduct involving repeated or continuing contacts, attempts to contact, monitoring, tracking, surveillance, keeping under observation, disrupting activities in a harassing manner, or following of another person that: (1) would cause a reasonable person to feel intimidated, frightened, under duress, significantly disrupted, or threatened and that actually causes such a feeling; (2) serves no lawful purpose; and (3) the respondent knows, or reasonably should know, threatens, frightens, or intimidates the person, even if the respondent did not intend to intimidate, frighten, or threaten the person.
- Vulnerable Adult includes a person: (a) sixty years of age or older who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for themselves; (b) subject to a guardianship under RCW 11.130.265 or adult subject to conservatorship under RCW 11.130.360; (c) who has a developmental disability as defined under RCW 71A.10.020; (d) admitted to any facility; (e) receiving services from home health, hospice, or home care agencies licensed or required to be licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW; (f) receiving services from a person under contract with the department of social and health services to provide services in the home under chapter 74.09 or 74.39A RCW; or (g) who self-directs their own care and receives services from a personal aide under chapter 74.39 RCW.
- Financial Exploitation means the illegal or improper use of, control over, or withholding of, the property, income, resources, or trust funds of the vulnerable adult by any person or entity for any person's or entity's profit or advantage other than for the vulnerable adult's profit or advantage. Financial exploitation includes, but is not limited to: (a) the use of deception, intimidation, or undue influence by a person or entity in a position of trust and confidence with a vulnerable adult to obtain or use the property, income, resources, government benefits, health insurance benefits, or trust funds of the vulnerable adult for the benefit of a person or entity other than the vulnerable adult; (b) the breach of a fiduciary duty, including, but not limited to, the misuse of a power of attorney, trust, or guardianship or conservatorship appointment, that results in the funds of the vulnerable adult for the benefit of a person or entity other than the vulnerable adult; or (c) obtaining or using a vulnerable adult's property, income, resources, or trust funds without lawful authority, by a person or entity who knows or clearly should know that the vulnerable adult lacks the capacity to consent to the release or use of the vulnerable adult's property, income, resources, or trust funds.
- Interested Person means a person who demonstrates to the court's satisfaction that the person is interested in the welfare of a vulnerable adult, that the person has a good faith belief that the court's intervention is necessary, and that the vulnerable adult is unable, due to incapacity, undue influence, or duress at the time the petition is filed, to protect his or her own interests.
Domestic Violence Shelters
If you are a victim of domestic violence, you should get out of the situation. Often times this means staying with a friend or family member until you are safe to be out on your own. There are also many shelters available in the area for domestic violence victims, including:
Domestic Violence Hotlines
The following hotlines are available 24-hours a day:
Legal Information
Domestic Violence Perpetrator/Batterer Services
Elder Abuse & Adult Protective Services
Other Victim Services
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