Tort claims for family violence can overlap with family law issues. They can be the subject of a lawsuit on their own, or they can be combined with a lawsuit brought under the ''Divorce Act'' or the ''Family Law Act''. While the ''Divorce Act'' or the ''Family Law Act'' do talk about family violence, in the context of children's parenting arrangements, protection orders and conduct orders, neither act provides financial compensation for the effects family violence. That is what tort claims are for.

The word "tort" comes from the Latin word for "wrong" or "injustice." ''Tort law'' covers things like personal injuries, motor vehicle accidents, negligence, assault and battery, trespass, and more. A tort is a breach of a duty someone owes to another, such as a duty not to hit someone, a duty to drive carefully, or a duty not to dig a hole someone might fall into. Not all harmful actions are torts. It's crucial to talk with a lawyer to see if harm done to you is a tort.