Domestic violence is a serious issue here in the United States. California law defines domestic violence as physical or verbal abuse that a person has received from someone they share a close relationship with. There are instances in which the abuse may get so bad...
Fast. Fair. Thorough.
Domestic Violence
Signs that an abusive partner’s behavior is escalating
Abusive behavior seldom start out in an obvious way. Since abuse is about power and control, the abuser usually begins by breaking down the victim's self-esteem and impairing their ability to fight back or leave. But abuse rarely remains low-key for long. Since...
How domestic violence could effect your children
There are a lot of reasons not to stay in an abusive relationship, but we're going to talk about one more: the effect that being around domestic violence has on your children. No matter how hard you try to shield your children from the violence, they likely are...
What is forced drug abuse?
Substance abuse and domestic violence are often linked together. Drugs and alcohol can serve to incite fights and lower someone's impulse control. It's just recently, however, that researchers have started to realize that drugs and alcohol are also weapons that get...
How do stay-away orders differ from restraining orders?
In California, a "stay-away" order is just what it sounds like: Also known as a Criminal Protective Order (CPO), it's a court order that obliges one person to keep away from another. However, California courts also use something known as a Civil Restraining Order...
Woman takes a disastrous route to a divorce
Everybody going through a divorce ultimately hopes that it will be quick and uncomplicated -- but things don't always go that way.Well, one 45-year-old Florida woman took an approach to her divorce that has now made national headlines. She and her husband had...
Leaving your abuser: What you need to know
If you're in an abusive relationship, you know that the only sure road to safety is to get out and put some distance between yourself and your abuser.Unfortunately, the mere act of leaving can actually make your situation more dangerous -- at least for a while. Here...
California ‘red flag’ laws and domestic violence
Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO) -- which are generally called "red flag" laws -- exist in numerous states -- including California. They have just seldom been used -- until now. In the past, police officers often had a difficult time separating potentially...
Domestic violence and your right to firearms in California
If you've been accused of domestic violence, you may be in danger of losing your right to possess a firearm -- for the rest of your life.Effective Jan. 1, 2019, California now imposes a lifetime ban on firearm possession on anyone who is convicted of willfully...
Seek legal help if you’re the victim of domestic violence
If you're a woman in America today, the person most likely to murder you is your spouse, ex-spouse or another intimate partner.That's the data given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after a study that looked into the murders of adult females in...