What’s New at WomensLaw?
WomensLaw (a project of NNEDV) provides free, individualized, and confidential legal information and support in both English and Spanish for survivors, their advocates, and their loved ones through the WomensLaw Email Hotline and state- and territory-specific, plain-language legal information and resources on WomensLaw.org.
Our team is always updating existing information and adding new information. Check out the latest updates:
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October 2026
On our Alaska State Gun Laws page, we added the new question I’m worried the abuser has a gun. What can I do to stay safe? to focus on survivors’ safety needs.
We also revised 13 questions to make them easier to understand and focus on the information survivors need most:
- What is the different between federal and state gun laws? Why do I need to understand both?
- What is the definition of a felony?
- I am a victim of domestic violence and the abuser has a gun. Is that legal?
- I have a protective order against the abuser. Can they have or buy a gun?
- Is there anything I can do to have it more likely that the abuser’s gun is taken away when I get a protective order?
- If the abuser is convicted of a crime, can they have or buy a gun?
- How can I find out if the abuser has been convicted of a crime?
- If the abuser’s gun is taken away, what will happen to it?
- If I think the abuser has a gun illegally, who do I report it to?
- What is the penalty for violating state firearm laws?
- What will happen if the abuser tries to purchase a gun?
- I do not have a protective order against the abuser, and they have not been convicted of any crime. Can they have a gun?
- I’ve read through all of this information and I am still confused. What can I do?
On our Selected Alaska Statutes page, we updated 3 existing statutes related to guns (Alaska Stat. §§ 12.55.125; 12.55.135; and 12.55.185).
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October 2026
We translated into Spanish recent revisions to our Wisconsin Suing an Abuser for Money page.
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October 2026
We translated into Spanish recent updates on our Wyoming Crimes, Parental Kidnapping, Divorce and Download Court Forms pages.
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October 2026
We translated into Spanish 1 new question and 13 recently revised questions on our Oregon State Gun Laws page.
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October 2026
On our Alaska Crimes page, we added two newly enacted laws to the list of crimes the abuser may have committed: distribution of generated obscene child sexual abuse material and possession of generated obscene child sexual abuse material. We also added the following 18 existing crimes:
- murder in the first degree;
- murder in the second degree;
- defenses to murder;
- manslaughter;
- criminally negligent homicide;
- unlawful exploitation of a minor;
- robbery in the first degree;
- robbery in the second degree;
- fraudulent use of an access device or identification document;
- obtaining an access device or identification document by fraudulent means;
- aiding the nonpayment of child support in the first degree;
- aiding the nonpayment of child support in the second degree;
- sending an explicit image of a minor;
- misconduct involving weapons in the third degree;
- misconduct involving weapons in the fourth degree;
- sex trafficking in the first degree;
- sex trafficking in the second degree; and
- sex trafficking in the third degree.
On our Selected Alaska Statutes page, we added two recently enacted statutes1 and two existing statutes2 and we updated 15 other statutes3 related to the above crimes.
1 Alaska Stat. §§ 11.61.121 and 11.61.122
2 Alaska Stat. §§ 11.61.116 and 11.66.120
3 Alaska Stat. §§ 11.41.100; 11.41.220; 11.41.260; 11.41.410; 11.41.420; 11.41.434; 11.41.436; 11.41.438; 11.41.440; 11.41.452; 11.41.455; 11.51.100; 11.61.118; 11.61.120; and 11.61.140