Cohabiting couples in Grenada to be afforded same rights as married people

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Grenada is amending its domestic violence law to recognise the rights of couples who have lived together for more than five years by extending to them the same rights as if they were married.

The amendment is among several pieces of legislation that will be presented to the Lower House for debate and approval when it meets on Tuesday.

The amended Domestic Violence Act defines “cohabitant” as a person who is living, or has lived, with a person of the opposite sex, as a husband or wife, although not legally married to that person.

The 2026 amendment to the Act, which is one of the recommendations from the Spotlight Initiative, defines “cohabitant” to mean (a) in relation to a woman, a single man who is living or has lived together with a single woman as husband and wife on a bona fide domestic basis continuously for a period of not less than five years; or in relation to a man, a single woman who is living or has lived together with a single man as husband and wife on a bona fide domestic basis continuously for a period of not less than five years.

Besides amending the definition for cohabitant, legislators will also be repealing and replacing a new definition for the term domestic violence.

According to the amended legislation, domestic violence, after receiving the relevant approval, will now mean any controlling or abusive behaviour that harms the health, safety, or well-being of a person or any child.

This actions includes, physical abuse or threats of physical abuse; sexual abuse or threats of sexual abuse; emotional, verbal or psychological abuse; economic abuse; intimidation; harassment, including online harassment; stalking, including cyberstalking; cyberbullying; damage to or destruction of property; or entry into the applicant’s residence without consent, where the parties do not share the same residence.

Under the Domestic Violence law, “cyberbullying” means the repeated or continuous use of electronic or digital means to publish, transmit, or distribute any content or message with the intent to demean, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, or emotionally abuse the applicant.

While “cyberstalking” means the repeated or continuous use of electronic or digital means to engage in a pattern of conduct that harasses, intimidates, threatens, or causes fear or emotional distress to the applicant, where such conduct is intended to control, coerce, or cause harm to the applicant or would reasonably be perceived as such by the applicant.

“Online harassment” means engaging in a pattern of conduct, through electronic or digital means, that induces the fear of harm or causes emotional distress or humiliation to the applicant, including— repeatedly or continuously sending abusive, threatening or humiliating messages to the applicant; impersonating the applicant or creating false digital content intended to harm the applicant’s reputation; monitoring or tracking the applicant’s digital activity without his or her consent; or publishing or threatening to publish private or sensitive information about the applicant;

Under the legislation, “private or sensitive information” is defined as any information, whether recorded or unrecorded, oral, written, visual, electronic or otherwise that pertains to the intimate, personal or confidential aspects of a person’s identity, relationships, activities or circumstances; is not publicly available or lawfully accessible without that person’s consent; and which, “if disclosed, is likely to result in harm, humiliation, distress or danger to that person; or a violation of that person’s reasonable expectation of privacy”.

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