In Alberta, she does not press charges - the police can (see below)
http://www.slsedmonton.com/docs/DomesticAbuse.pdf
Domestic abuse is against the law. Any person who abuses you is committing a crime even if that person is your spouse, partner or someone else that you are close to. The police can get involved when someone commits–or is threatening to commit–a crime. The following are chargeable offences under the Criminal Code:
Assault: intentionally applying force to another without that person's consent, or threatening to do so when it is believed that Domestic abuse is against the law. Any person who abuses you is committing a crime even if that person is your spouse, partner or someone else that you are close to.
Sexual Assault: unwanted sexual contact.
Criminal Harassment (stalking): harassment that causes someone to fear for their, or another person's, safety.
Uttering Threats: threatening to cause death or bodily harm, or to damage or destroy property. This also includes threatening injury to your pet.
Forcible Confinement: confining, forcibly seizing or imprisoning someone. This includes forcing someone to stay in bed or a chair for long periods of time. If any of the above apply to your relationship, you should get the police involved as soon as possible to make sure that you are protected.
During an assault, or as soon as possible afterward, you should call the police. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 (or the emergency number for your area). If you can’t call right away, you can talk to the police when it is safer for you to do so.[/COLOR] When you talk to the police, you should give them as much information as possible. They need to know if:
a. Your life is in danger
b. You are injured
c. There are weapons involved
d. There are drugs/alcohol involved
e. There are children or others in the home
f. There is a history of violence
g. You have a restraining order or peace bond against your
abuser
If the police come to your home, they will need to figure out what has been happening and to make sure that everyone is safe. The police may have some questions for you and it is important that you give them complete, factual information so that they can work to protect you. The police will probably want to know the details of the violence and any injuries that you suffered. If you already have a peace bond or restraining order against the person who
assaulted you, you should show a copy of it to the police.
The police can decide to lay a criminal charge against your abuser if they have reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a crime took place. This just means that they must think that your abuser committed a crime against you. They may decide to arrest your abuser and take him/her into custody. Within 24 hours of the arrest, an arrested person has the right to a bail hearing. At the bail hearing, a judge or justice of the peace will decide if it is safe for the arrested person to be released until the court date.
If the arrested person is released, you can tell the police that you are afraid of your abuser and ask that conditions be placed on their release prohibiting that person from contacting you. The police have recently enacted guidelines for notifying victims of an accused's release. It is important that you know that the police or Crown Prosecutor only notify you when they believe you are at a high risk.
If the police decide not to arrest your abuser but do still charge him or her with assault, he or she will be given an Appearance Notice with information on it with required dates and times about reporting for fingerprints and the first court appearance. As many offenders are released with an Appearance Notice, victims should inform themselves as to the conditions of release. Victims can do so by contacting the police or the Crown Prosecutor's office. The victim should inform the police immediately of any breach of release conditions. If the police decide that there is not enough evidence to charge your abuser at all, you can ask that the decision be reviewed by the officer’s supervisor or you can lay a “private information” against him or her. SEE #1 JUST BELOW
1. Criminal Assault Charges
If the police have decided not to press charges against your abuser, you can press charges yourself. To do so, call the Provincial Court - Criminal Division Clerk’s Office and tell them that you want to "lay a private information" for assault. The Clerk's Office will set up an appointment for you to speak to a Justice of the Peace. During that meeting, you will get to tell your side of the story. If the Justice of the Peace allows you to proceed, he or she will forward your complaint to the Crown Prosecutor’s Office. The Prosecutor’s Office will then decide if there is enough evidence to go ahead with the charge and, if so, you will get a chance to tell your story in court.
2. Peace Bonds
A peace bond is a court order that requires someone to "keep the peace" and obey any other conditions that the court places on the order. It can take weeks or months to get a peace bond–but the bond can be granted for a maximum of 12 months.
3. Restraining Orders
A restraining order is a court order like a peace bond, but they are not exactly the same. A restraining order is issued from civil court, rather than criminal court like a peace bond, and you will need a lawyer to help you get a restraining order. A restraining order can be attached to another action like a divorce or a civil action for assault, or you can ask for a restraining order alone. A lawyer should be able to get you a restraining order within 48 hours of meeting with her. Many orders are granted without notice to the abuser of the hearing. However, the Respondent [abuser] must be served with a copy of the order.