Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence: Orders of Protection, Criminal Charges, and Divorce and Custody
About forty years ago or so, law enforcement rarely responded to calls about domestic violence and cries from domestic violence victims. When a spouse or significant other struck, hit, beat, or threatened a victim, law enforcement usually viewed the violence as a family matter and would not intervene to help the victim. That view no…
Read MoreDomestic Violence
In America, the courts treat domestic violence very seriously. Domestic violence is abusive behavior and tactics one individual uses in order to maintain power and control over his or her spouse or significant other. Exact tactics vary among abusers; however, victims are subjected to and endure verbal, physical, psychological, emotional, and sexual abuse. How often…
Read MoreOrders of Protection
At times, people argue. These arguments often are between husband and wife, between adults who live together or are in a relationship, or within families. Sometimes, the arguments move from unsettling words to threats and violence. One person strikes or hits another. Until the last generation or so, police would not intervene. Society viewed this…
Read MoreSpecial Visas for Victims of Crime
People who are living in the United States hoping someday to become permanent residents or even citizens often feel vulnerable as they move through the process. This vulnerability can make them easy targets for criminals and abusers. Some immigrants who have been the victims of crimes, or who are currently the victims of ongoing crimes…
Read MoreHelping to Raise Awareness About Domestic Violence
There have been a lot of stories in the news and online where famous athletes and celebrities have been caught abusing their family members. In Tennessee, abusing a member of your family and/or household is called domestic violence, and it’s a serious crime. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The goal is to make…
Read MoreDomestic Violence is a Crime (Ask Ray Rice)
A generation or so ago, law enforcement officers (police or deputies) rarely intervened in a domestic dispute. If a spouse, generally the wife, was hit, yelled at, or threatened, the police deemed it best to let the couple or parents and children work out their differences. Then, they thought that private matters should stay private. …
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