The following National Spousal Abuse FAQs are provided by the Legal Studies Program.

Funded by the Department of Justice Canada.

Warning: 

The contents of these FAQs are intended as general legal information only. If you have
a personal problem, please consult a lawyer.



I have been abused by my partner for years. I do not want to uproot my children from their 
home. Is there any way I can force my partner to leave?

It is possible to apply to a court for an order for exclusive possession of your home. This 
means that a court might give you the exclusive right to live there. An order for exclusive 
possession does not mean that you own the house, only that you have the right to live there 
without your partner until other arrangements are made. In considering whether you want to 
ask for an exclusive possession order, you may wish to consider your safety in a place 
where you will be alone and where your partner knows where to find you. It can be difficult to 
enforce an order for exclusive possession and you may have to involve the police to do so.