Typically, a judge will decide custody based on the best interests of the child. Factors like physical and emotional needs, safety, stability of home, cooperation between parents, parenting skills, etc., all help a judge determine what type of custody parents get over their child during a divorce. But what happens when domestic violence occurs? Any…
Pop culture and media tends to be a reflection of our own interests and beliefs. We look towards celebrities and public figures to show us what is trendy or current affairs we deem important in society. As much as that world can seem far removed from the average person, it can also be a mirror…
If you are in an abusive relationship or suffering from intimate partner violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text 1-800-787-3224. Please stay safe. Your safety is your number one priority at all times. Your safety is especially important if you are involved in a relationship with someone who may have a…
The truth is, it’s more than assault. In fact, there is even a name for it. It’s called “coercive control” and it is a destructive, isolating, and manipulative set of behaviors that victims of domestic abuse often face from their partners, ultimately causing them to feel or become trapped in their abusive relationships. In a…
Sadly, domestic violence is a problem that affects women in abusive relationships year-round. However, cases in domestic abuse tend to increase particularly during the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. While there is never an excuse for someone committing acts of violence towards their partner, some of the reasons research shows abuse goes up during…
With the country being ordered to stay home over the last couple of months due to COVID-19, this has consequently led to an increase in domestic abuse occurrences. In our local market of San Antonio alone, domestic violence related calls have risen by 21% from 2019 to 2020 year to date, according to SAPD. While…
I googled “protecting yourself in your home from a loved one.” On the first page, nine out of ten results were based on protecting yourself from intruders. The tenth result was protecting yourself from an abusive guardianship in a legal matter. If 55% of femicides are a result of intimate partner violence, women should have…
Gavin de Becker has made a career by evaluating threats. In his national bestselling book The Gift of Fear, he discusses the elements of prediction with the most valuable factor being pre-incident indicators (PINs). PINs are detectable warning signs that will reliably occur before the outcome being predicted. De Becker believes spousal homicide is the…
Recently a friend of mine was killed in a murder-suicide by her husband. They were in the middle of what everyone thought was an amicable divorce. Not once did she ever tell her friends or her family that she had been in any way abused by her husband or that she was scared for her…