Domestic Violence Law

Domestic violence often wreaks havoc on both the bodies and psyches of its victims. Leaving the situation can seem emotionally unpalatable but financially impossible. There's help out there. Shelters operate across the country, working to provide a safe place for you and your children to live, and often also addressing the socioeconomic conditions that kept you in an abusive household.

What is domestic violence?
Domestic violence can consist of physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats or any combination of those actions.

What can you do about it?
If you are a victim of abuse, you must first go to a safe place. Remember: without the benefit of intensive psychological aid, the batterer will not stop, and his or her actions will likely grow increasingly abusive. During 2007, nearly 30 percent of the nation's female murder victims and about 4 percent of male murder victims were killed by a spouse or lover.
There are a number of steps you can take to fight domestic violence, including getting medical treatment, calling the police and getting a restraining order.