• When the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence pulled 300 temporary orders at different courts, it found:

230 filed by women, 70 by men;

Most involved spouses (29 percent);

Verbal and emotional abuse were cited more than 85 percent of the time;

89.5 percent of temporary requests were granted;

31.3 percent eventually became permanent

• Protection orders can be in place up to two years

• Violating an order – hanging out at someone’s worksite, stalking, initiating contact – can be a Class D (misdemeanor, less than a year in jail, up to $2,000 fine) or Class C (felony, up to five years in jail, up to $5,000 fine) crime; it becomes Class C when the order is violated by an assault.