Dating violence, as outlined in Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-13-111, refers to any form of violence occurring between individuals who are dating, have dated, or have engaged in a sexual relationship. It's crucial to note that "dating" and "dated" exclude interactions limited to business or non-romantic social contexts. This statute encompasses various forms of violence, which may include but are not limited to:

• Inflicting or attempting to inflict physical harm on the victim deliberately, excluding accidental means.
• Instilling fear of physical harm in the victim.
• Physically restraining the victim.
• Causing intentional harm to the victim's personal property, which may extend to harming any animals under the victim's ownership, possession, lease, or care.
• Creating a situation where the victim fears harm to any animals under their ownership, possession, lease, or care.

It's essential to recognize that under Tennessee law, dating violence is considered a subset of domestic violence. This means that the legal framework and protections provided for victims of domestic violence also apply to victims of dating violence. These laws aim to safeguard individuals from abusive behaviors within intimate relationships, regardless of the formal status of those relationships.