Tell them what happened and ask for their assistance. Police must do the following if responding to the incident:
- Conduct separate interviews with the victim and the abuser
- Ask about the history of abuse
- Provide the officer's name, badge and report numbers
- Provide the telephone number of a domestic violence shelter, a number to call for information about the case and provide information about any local victim advocate program
- Make a written report of the incident even if an arrest is not made
Be sure to ask for the officer's name, badge and report numbers, and also request that a police report is filed.
An officer should arrest an abuser who causes serious physical harm or uses a weapon during the incident. The police may request that domestic violence or other charges be filed if an arrest is made.