Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. Being in any relationship is a choice. Talk to a lawyer if you are accused of this offense.
Call now for domestic violence
defense at 805-477-0070.
We offer free consultations.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. It can happen to couples who are married or not married, heterosexual, gay or lesbian, living together, separated or dating. It affects people of all backgrounds and education levels.
Domestic abuse has many forms, including physical aggression, such as hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, or throwing objects, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, controlling or domineering, intimidation, stalking, passive or covert abuse, such as neglect, and economic deprivation. Alcohol consumption and mental illness can influence domestic abuse, and present additional challenges in eliminating it.
However, it must be emphasized that people can be falsely accused of this offense by a vengeful or impaired partner, especially when such issues as break-ups or child custody are involved. The law may protect one person for striking another in self-defense or the defense of another person, such as a child. No matter how distasteful these cases may seem from the outside looking in, the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty, and his or her rights need legal defense.
There are many signs of an abusive relationship.
- Physical and sexual abuse: Hair pulling, biting, shaking, pushing, pinching, choking, kicking, confinement, slapping, hitting, punching, using weapons, forced intercourse, unwanted sexual touching in public or in private, depriving a partner of food or sleep.
- Emotional abuse: Insulting a partner in public or in private, putting down her friends and family, shaming, playing mind games, humiliating her, making her feel guilty, treating him or her like a servant, making all decisions, being the one to define men’s and women’s roles.
- Economic abuse: Preventing a partner from getting or keeping a job, making her or him ask for money, giving an allowance, unilaterally controlling money, not letting a partner know about or have access to family income.
- Coercion and threats: Making or carrying out threats to injure, threatening to leave or to commit suicide, making him or her to drop charges, making a partner do illegal things.
- Intimidation: Using looks, gestures, or actions to invoke fear, throwing or smashing things, destroying property, abusing pets, dangerous driving, displaying weapons.
- Using the children: Making her feel guilty about them, using them to relay messages, using visitation to harass her, threatening to take the children away.
- Using isolation: Controlling what she does, who she sees, what she reads, and where she goes, limiting her outside involvement, refusing to let her learn to drive, go to school, or get a job, not allowing her to freely use the car or the telephone.
- Using jealousy and blame to justify actions: Minimizing, denying, or blaming, making light of the abuse and not taking her concerns about it seriously, checking up on where a partner has been or who she has talked to, denying any abuse occurred or shifting responsibility for abusive behavior.
If you are the one accused of domestic violence, or if you have harmed a partner in self-defense, hire an attorney. It may be in your best interest to photograph and document any injuries you have sustained – even if the police take photographs. This may be especially helpful to men defending themselves in an assault by a female partner.
If you are arrested for spousal assault, it is important to adhere to any injunctions against contacting or approaching your partner. The law is strict and is weighted toward the accuser. Learn your rights by calling a lawyer with experience in this area.
Call now for domestic violence
defense at 805-477-0070.
We offer free consultations.
Strongest Defense offer domestic violence defense in Ventura, Oxnard and Camarillo, California. No attorney or law firm can make any promises or guarantee an outcome for your criminal case. The contents presented on this site are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Visiting this website does not establish an attorney/client relationship.
