Domestic violence is defined as abuse by one partner against
the other in a marriage or other intimate relationship. Pushing, shoving,
hitting, sexual assault, and other forms of physical attack are all forms of
domestic abuse; so are stalking, intimidation, isolating a partner from others,
withholding money, and, of course, emotional abuse of all kinds.
Divorce can also be a triggering event for domestic
violence. In fact, the danger of serious violence is at its highest point when
a person acts on a decision to leave an abusive relationship. Learn how to be
as safe as you can when you leave an abusive relationship, about restraining
orders, and about divorce and domestic violence.
If you are in an abusive relationship, your first priority
is very simple: Get yourself and your children to safety. Statistics show that
the most dangerous time for women living with batterers is the point at which
they leave the relationship. (The vast majority of battered spouses or partners
are women, but if you are a battered man, all of this advice applies to you as
well.) This means that you will need to find housing somewhere that the abuser
can’t find you -- a battered women’s shelter, a hotel, or the home of a friend
that the abuser doesn’t know. Don’t go to your parents’ house, your best
friend's house, or somewhere else that he’s likely to look for you.
If you have time to plan, start putting aside cash --
again, preferably somewhere other than your house. Leave some clothes and
important items with a friend in case you have to leave your house quickly. And
start documenting every incident of physical or emotional abuse in your
household, whether it involves you or your kids. Make a note of the date and
time the incident occurred, and exactly what happened.
You should also prepare to take important papers with you.
Having the right documents will help you take legal action or apply for
benefits after you leave. Information that you should take with you and keep
safe:
Your credit cards
and checkbook
All social
security cards
Birth
certificates
Proof of income
for you, such as pay stubs or copies of W-2 forms
Copies of bank or
credit card statements if you cannot easily access them online, and
Documentation
showing abuse, including photos, police reports and medical
records.
Copies of deeds, leases, and insurance policies
Consider using mediation as the process for your divorce
action.
At WHYmediate?, Find out if mediation can allow you to resolve
Divorce conflicts in a positive learning environment that covers how to deal
with all the special days in your life.
WHYmediate? Mediation Services
4500 South Lakeshore Drive Suite 300
Tempe, AZ 85282
(480) 777-5500
No comments:
Post a Comment