Criminal Defense

Dating Violence Charges Lawyer

Dating Violence Charges Lawyer | Understanding the charges, the restraining order, and your next move

Summary

"Dating violence" is not itself a single crime under Korean law — it is an umbrella term investigators use for violence occurring between people in a romantic relationship, and the actual charges filed can include assault (폭행), bodily injury (상해), stalking (스토킹처벌법), coercion, or indecent act by compulsion (강제추행), depending on what happened. Because these allegations often stack together, a single police report can result in several separate charges being investigated at once. Many cases also involve an emergency or provisional measure restricting contact with the accuser before any conviction, and violating that measure is itself a separate criminal offense.

Criminal · Personal Relations Related law: Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes Related law: Criminal Act

Dating Violence Charges | How a single incident becomes multiple charges

Police and prosecutors do not file a charge called "dating violence." Instead, they classify the reported conduct into one or more existing offenses under the Criminal Act, and each one carries a different standard of proof and a different range of penalties.

Assault and bodily injury

Simple assault (폭행, 형법 제260조) covers physical contact without lasting injury and is punishable by up to two years imprisonment or a fine, but it is subject to a victim's complaint requirement in some circumstances. Bodily injury (상해, 형법 제257조) applies when the accuser suffered an actual injury, even a minor bruise documented by a doctor, and carries a higher penalty ceiling of up to seven years.

Coercion and threats

If the conduct involved forcing the other person to do or not do something against their will, coercion (강요, 형법 제324조) may be charged. Threatening language, even without physical contact, can be charged separately as intimidation (협박, 형법 제283조) if it caused the accuser to fear for their safety.

Sexual misconduct allegations

Where the accuser alleges an unwanted sexual touching, prosecutors may add a charge of indecent act by compulsion (강제추행, 형법 제298조), which does not require a completed sexual act — only that the touching occurred without consent and involved some degree of force or intimidation. This charge is treated far more seriously than assault and often drives the overall strategy of the case.

Why the combination matters

Because these charges can be prosecuted together, the strength of the evidence on one charge (for example, a medical record supporting bodily injury) can affect how credible the accuser's account looks on an unrelated charge (such as the sexual misconduct allegation). Reviewing the full charge sheet, not just the headline accusation, is usually the first step in building a response.

Dating Violence Charges | What a restraining order actually restricts

In dating violence cases, police or courts can issue measures that restrict contact before the criminal case is decided. These are separate from the underlying criminal charge, and violating them creates new legal exposure even if the original allegation is later dismissed.

Emergency measures at the police stage

Police responding to a dating violence report can issue on-the-spot emergency measures restricting the accused from approaching the accuser's home or workplace, or from contacting them by phone or messages, even before any charge is confirmed. These measures are typically short-term but can be extended by a court.

Court-ordered protective measures

Under the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes (스토킹처벌법), a court can impose provisional measures such as prohibition on approaching within 100 meters of the accuser, restrictions on electronic communication, and in some cases, an order to wear a location-tracking device, once a stalking-related case is referred for judicial review.

What counts as contact

Contact is interpreted broadly. Asking a mutual friend to pass along a message, liking or commenting on the accuser's social media, or showing up at a place you know they frequent can all be treated as a violation, regardless of whether you intended to intimidate them.

Responding to a measure you believe is unfair

If a measure is overly broad or based on a misunderstanding, there are procedures to request modification or file an objection, but doing so requires supporting materials and should be handled carefully rather than through direct contact with the accuser.

⚠ A violation is a new, separate offense

Breaching an emergency measure or protective order is not treated as a technicality — it can result in its own criminal charge and is often used by prosecutors as evidence that the accused disregards court authority. Any contact, including through a third party or social media, can count as a violation.

Dating Violence Charges | When repeated contact becomes a stalking charge

Dating violence cases frequently include a stalking allegation, especially where the relationship ended and one party continued attempting contact. The Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes (스토킹처벌법) defines stalking broadly and does not require any single incident to be dramatic — repetition is often the key element.

What qualifies as a stalking act

Under Article 2 of the Act (스토킹처벌법 제2조), stalking includes following the person, waiting near their home or workplace, sending unwanted messages or gifts, or spreading their personal information, if the conduct causes fear or anxiety and occurs repeatedly or continuously.

Attempting reconciliation vs. stalking

Repeated attempts to apologize, explain, or reconcile after a breakup are frequently characterized by the accuser as stalking, particularly where messages continue after being asked to stop. Whether the conduct meets the legal threshold depends heavily on frequency, tone, and whether a clear request to stop was ignored.

Aggravated penalties

If a weapon or dangerous object was used or displayed during the conduct, or if the acts were part of a pattern found to be organized or persistent, penalties increase significantly under Article 18 of the Act (스토킹처벌법 제18조), and pretrial detention becomes more likely.

Dating Violence Charges | From receiving a police notice to case resolution

Initial notice or summons
Most cases begin with a phone call or written notice asking you to appear for questioning as a suspect. What you say in this first interview is recorded and used throughout the case, so reviewing the allegation with a lawyer beforehand is more useful than trying to explain everything on the spot.

Reviewing the emergency measure
If a no-contact measure has already been issued, the immediate priority is confirming exactly what it restricts and making sure no further contact occurs, intentionally or not, while the underlying facts are being sorted out.

Police and prosecutorial investigation
Investigators will collect statements, phone records, medical documentation, and any messages between the parties. This stage is where inconsistencies in the accusation, or context the accuser omitted, typically get raised.

Prosecutor's decision
The prosecutor decides whether to indict, offer a summary indictment (fine without trial), or decline to prosecute. Where multiple charges were investigated, the prosecutor may proceed on some and drop others depending on the evidence.

Trial or negotiated resolution
If indicted, the case proceeds to trial where the charges are argued individually. Where reconciliation with the accuser or a written agreement is possible, this can factor into sentencing on certain lesser charges, though it does not apply uniformly across all offense types.

Dating Violence Charges | How legal fees are structured in these cases

Retainer fee
Typically set based on the number and severity of charges under investigation (for example, assault alone versus assault combined with a sexual misconduct allegation), and on the stage at which you engage counsel — before police questioning generally costs less to prepare for than after indictment.

Success or resolution fee
If used, this is tied to a defined procedural outcome (such as a non-indictment decision or a summary indictment rather than a formal trial), not to a promised result, and the specific trigger conditions should be set out in the engagement agreement.

Costs for responding to protective measures
Filing an objection or request to modify a no-contact or provisional measure is usually billed separately from the main criminal defense representation, since it involves a distinct, time-sensitive filing.

Expenses
Includes items such as document retrieval, expert opinions on digital evidence (e.g., message authenticity), and travel to hearings outside the local jurisdiction.

※ Costs vary depending on case complexity and specific circumstances; exact fees will be provided during consultation. No specific outcome is guaranteed.

Dating Violence Charges | Self-Check Before Your First Meeting

1️⃣ Understanding what you're actually charged with

Do you know the exact article numbers listed in the police notice or summons?
Are there multiple charges (assault, stalking, indecent act) filed from the same incident?
Has a medical record or diagnosis been submitted by the accuser?
Do you have copies of the messages or call logs referenced in the complaint?

2️⃣ If a no-contact or protective measure is in place

Do you know the exact distance or contact restrictions specified in the order?
Have you had any contact, direct or indirect, since the measure was issued?
Do you have a copy of the written measure or emergency order?
Is there a deadline to file an objection or request modification?

3️⃣ If stalking is alleged

Can you list the specific dates and nature of the contact the complaint refers to?
Did the accuser clearly ask you to stop contact at any point, and when?
Were any of the messages sent through a third party or anonymous account?

4️⃣ If a sexual misconduct allegation is included

Is there any witness or recording from the time of the alleged incident?
Has the accuser's account changed between the initial report and later statements?
Do you understand that this charge is evaluated separately from any assault charge, even from the same incident?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is "dating violence" a separate crime under Korean law?

A. No. There is no single statute titled "dating violence." It is a descriptive term used by police and media for violence between romantic partners, and the actual charges are drawn from existing laws such as the Criminal Act (형법) for assault or bodily injury, and the Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes (스토킹처벌법) for stalking-related conduct.

Q. Can I be charged even if the other person doesn't want to press charges?

A. It depends on the specific charge. Some offenses require the victim's active complaint to proceed, but bodily injury (상해) and indecent act by compulsion (강제추행) generally do not require an ongoing complaint to be prosecuted, meaning a case can continue even if the accuser later withdraws support.

Q. What happens if I accidentally contact the accuser after a no-contact order?

A. Any contact, even unintentional or through a third party, can be treated as a violation of the emergency measure or protective order and may result in a separate charge. It is treated independently of whether the original allegation is eventually dismissed.

Q. Does an apology or settlement with the accuser end the case?

A. Not automatically. A written agreement or reconciliation can be considered by the prosecutor or court as a mitigating factor for certain charges, but for offenses that do not require a victim's complaint, such as many bodily injury or sexual misconduct charges, the case can still proceed even after a settlement is reached.

Q. Can a stalking charge apply if we used to date each other?

A. Yes. The Act on the Punishment of Stalking Crimes (스토킹처벌법) does not exclude former partners, and in fact a large share of reported stalking cases arise after a relationship ends, when one party continues attempting contact against the other's wishes.

Q. Is it stalking if I only sent a few messages asking to talk things through?

A. It depends on frequency, whether a clear request to stop was made and ignored, and whether the messages caused the recipient fear or anxiety, as assessed under Article 2 of the Act (스토킹처벌법 제2조). A small number of messages sent once is less likely to meet the threshold than repeated contact after being asked to stop.

Q. What is the difference between assault and bodily injury charges?

A. Assault (폭행, 형법 제260조) covers unwanted physical contact without a resulting injury, while bodily injury (상해, 형법 제257조) requires an actual physical injury, which is usually documented through a medical diagnosis. Bodily injury carries a higher maximum penalty and is generally treated more seriously.

Q. Will I be detained before trial?

A. Pretrial detention is not automatic and depends on factors such as the severity of the charges, flight risk, and risk of destroying evidence or contacting the accuser again. Cases involving a weapon, repeated stalking conduct, or violation of a no-contact order are more likely to raise detention concerns under the aggravated provisions of the Stalking Punishment Act (스토킹처벌법 제18조).

Q. Can charges be reduced if this was a mutual altercation?

A. Evidence that the alleged victim also initiated physical contact or aggression can be relevant to how an assault or bodily injury charge is evaluated, though it does not automatically cancel the charge against you. This is typically addressed through witness statements, messages, and any available video evidence.

Q. Should I try to talk to the accuser directly to resolve this?

A. This is generally discouraged, especially where any protective measure is in place, since direct contact can itself become a new violation or be used as evidence of pressuring the accuser. Any communication about resolving the case is usually better handled through counsel.

Official References

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