The term “domestic violence” often conjures mental images of bruises, scars, and broken bones from physical abuse. However, domestic violence laws in Colorado go far beyond straightforward physical abuse, and encompass a wide variety of non-physical types of violence. In fact, it’s possible to be charged with domestic violence without even lifting a finger. This article explains how non-physical conduct can lead to a domestic violence charge in Colorado and why anyone facing this type of allegation should take it seriously from the start.
Non-Physical Domestic Violence Acts
Domestic violence charges in Colorado do not always involve physical injury. While many people associate domestic violence with hitting, bruising, or other forms of physical abuse, Colorado law can apply the domestic violence designation to a much broader range of conduct, including threats, intimidation, stalking, property destruction, coercion, or other behavior connected to an intimate relationship.5 Because these cases often depend on context, intent, and how the alleged conduct is interpreted, even a non-physical accusation can lead to serious criminal consequences, protection orders, and lasting personal and professional disruption.
To understand why certain types of non-physical behaviors are considered domestic violence, we must first understand how Colorado defines this type of offense. Colorado Revised Statute (C.R.S.) § 18-6-800.3 defines domestic violence as “an act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.”2 The law recognizes an “intimate relationship” as a relationship between present or former married or unmarried couples, two parents, roommates, or even coworkers.
While our state’s definition of domestic violence certainly includes physical acts such as punching, kicking, and slapping, it also includes certain types of psychological and emotional abuse. In fact, filing false domestic violence claims can be considered a form of emotional abuse within this legal framework. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common examples of non-physical behaviors that could result in a domestic violence charge in Colorado.
Threats
State law can interpret threatened acts of violence between partners in an intimate relationship to be domestic violence.2 That means you could be charged with domestic violence for simply threatening to hit or harm someone. For instance, shouting “I’m going to kill him!” in a moment of frustration could be interpreted as domestic violence.
Intimidation
You could be charged with domestic violence for using intimidation to make a current or former partner afraid. Intimidation could include smashing things, destroying property, abusing pets, displaying weapons, making aggressive gestures, or even giving threatening looks.
It should be noted that Colorado law also separately criminalizes intimidating a witness or victim under C.R.S. § 18-8-704 when threats, harassment, or harm are used to influence testimony, prevent someone from cooperating, or interfere with a legal proceeding.3 In a domestic violence context, intimidating behavior can therefore support both the domestic violence designation and a separate criminal charge, depending on what was said, done, and intended.
Emotional Abuse
In certain circumstances, emotional abuse can be considered a form of domestic violence. Emotional abuse is a loose term that could encompass behaviors such as put downs, name calling, and humiliation.
Isolation
Controlling your partner’s actions, movements, social interactions, and outside involvement could be considered a type of isolation abuse.
Gender Privilege
Treating a partner like a servant or enforcing rigid, controlling gender roles can form the basis of a domestic violence accusation. If those behaviors involve coercion, intimidation, or the restriction of basic autonomy, they fall under the legal definition of domestic violence.2
Economic Abuse
Economic abuse is another serious type of abuse that could be construed as domestic violence in certain circumstances. It can become relevant in a Colorado domestic violence case when one person uses money, employment, housing, or financial control to intimidate, punish, or control someone with whom they have an intimate relationship. Examples may include taking or withholding money, preventing a partner from working, restricting access to shared accounts, damaging property, or using financial pressure to keep someone from leaving the relationship.
Coercion
You could find yourself in trouble for domestic abuse after threatening to commit suicide, threatening to report your current or former partner to welfare, or making them do illegal things. Coercive control refers to a pattern of behavior used to dominate, isolate, intimidate, or pressure another person in an intimate relationship. In Colorado domestic violence cases, prosecutors may view threats of suicide as coercive when they are used to control a partner’s choices, prevent a breakup, force contact, or manipulate someone into staying in the relationship.4 While threatening suicide is not automatically a crime by itself, it may become legally significant if it is connected to harassment, stalking, threats, protection order violations, or other conduct used to control or intimidate another person.
Using Children
Similarly, threatening to kidnap or kill a current or former partner’s children could also be considered a form of domestic violence.
Stalking
C.R.S. § 18-3-602 defines stalking as repeatedly following, approaching, contacting, monitoring, or making any form of communication with a victim.1 In a domestic violence context, stalking might involve repeated calls, texts, emails, social media messages, showing up at someone’s home or workplace, tracking their location, or using other people to maintain unwanted contact. Even when there is no physical violence, stalking allegations are taken seriously because they often involve a pattern of conduct rather than a single incident. If the alleged conduct involves a current or former intimate partner, prosecutors may also attach a domestic violence designation to the stalking charge.
Defending Yourself Against a Non-Physical Domestic Violence Allegation
Colorado’s broad definition of domestic violence makes it easy for alleged victims to make false accusations of domestic violence against others. In some cases, partners and former partners use domestic violence accusations as a form of revenge, or to gain leverage in child custody proceedings.
If you have been accused of domestic violence for a non-physical act such as intimidation, threats, or stalking, you must proceed very carefully. Do not make the mistake of taking the charge lightly because it arose from a non-physical action. Colorado law does not look favorably on domestic violence offenders, and you are facing serious consequences to your freedom and reputation. To ensure the best possible outcome for your case, it’s crucial that you avoid contacting the victim in any way, and that includes calling, texting, messaging, and emailing them. Even if the victim attempts to initiate contact, do not give in to their advances.
It’s important to remember that your domestic violence charges will not go away just because you resolve your argument or the alleged victim says they forgive you. The only way you can fight a domestic violence charge is with the help of an aggressive Colorado domestic violence attorney. Your attorney can help you understand your options, and work with you to develop a strategy for defense. In the courtroom, your attorney will fight fiercely to protect your rights, freedom, and reputation.
With a skilled criminal defense lawyer behind you, you will be in the best position possible to have your charges reduced or dropped entirely. If you or a loved one is facing non-physical (or physical) domestic violence allegations, contact Cahill Criminal Defense today for a free consultation.
References
1. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-602 (2025). https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_18-3-602
2. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-6-800.3 (2025). https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_18-6-800.3
3. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-8-704 (2025). https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_18-8-704
4. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 14-10-124 (2025). https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-14-domestic-matters/co-rev-st-sect-14-10-124/
5. Denver District Attorney’s Office. (n.d.). Domestic violence. https://www.denverda.org/domestic-violence/