Domestic violence can leave long-term bruises on the lives of victims. An abusive relationship with a spouse can leave a woman feeling more helpless and dread for her safety. Abuse is a progressive process that produces far-reaching emotional, physical, and financial repercussions.
Divorcing an abusive husband is particularly hard in long-term marriages because the abusive husband is usually in control of the finances. So, if you are in this situation, you need to consult a salt lake city spousal abuse lawyer to get the legal guidance you need to move forward.
Understanding Domestic Abuse
The word abuse includes intentionally or recklessly causing or trying to cause bodily injury and sexual assault. Also, it includes molesting, striking, attacking, threatening, stalking, battering, harassing, and destroying property. Domestic violence can be situational or patterned. Situational violence is often best handled by a restraining order. With the help of your attorney, you can ask the court for temporary and permanent restraining orders to separate you from your abusive husband.
Divorce and Long-Term Domestic Abuse
A long history of domestic abuse involves physical abuses of the wife and even children. Usually, it is accompanied by threats and intimidation towards the wife and the children. Divorcing an abusive husband who has a history of abuse often results in immediate domestic violence restraining orders, particularly when acts of abuse are recent. If you cannot seek an immediate restraining order, you can seek court orders that regulate and limit contact between you and your husband. These include court orders about child custody and visitation to protect them including limiting visitation to monitored visitation. Also, it includes leaving the family house to stay with a relative or somewhere away from the abusive husband.
Collecting Evidence
There are different types of evidence that can support a domestic violence case against an abusive husband. These include photographic evidence, documentary evidence, and eyewitness testimony. The more serious and longer the abuse, the more likely you can have proof of it. But, if you fail to take photos, secure letters, text messages, or emails from the abuser, or call the police and have your husband arrested, you still have a chance. Abusive husbands don’t stop. Once you are ready to divorce him, you can take steps to document the past domestic violence. Your Domestic Violence Lawyer can review your case on its merits and lay out a plan for you to document the violence and collect proof of it.
