The Importance of Seeking Help for Domestic Violence

Q: Can a family law attorney protect me if I am a victim of abuse?

Whether there are children involved or not, domestic violence is a sensitive, emotional, and sometimes lethal reality.

Domestic violence in a relationship can take the form of physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. It may include physical violence, verbal abuse or harassment, and sexual abuse.

If you are the victim of abuse, you should call the police to help ensure your safety. You should also contact a family law attorney experienced in a domestic violence cases to get informed about your legal rights. With your safety in mind, in the case of marital abuse, a domestic violence attorney can help dissolve the marriage as quickly as possible and advise you how to ensure your physical safety.

But you need to take action as soon as possible and heed warning signs if they exist. Get the police involved. Do not wait for the situation to get better because it could spiral downward at any time.

While it often can help, calling the police doesn’t always result in protecting or saving the abused party.

Last May, Mesa police responded to a domestic violence call, only to arrive too late to save a woman who was reportedly shot and killed by her boyfriend. Witnesses in the apartment complex say the woman had been screaming and was being chased by the boyfriend.

Upon their arrival on the scene, the two responding police officers were reportedly ambushed by the boyfriend who opened fire on them, hitting and injuring both officers. One officer returned fire and killed the suspect. The ambush and shoot-out between the suspect and the officers was caught on the body camera video of one of the two officers.

If you need help getting out of an abusive or non-abusive relationship, or need answers about a divorce or legal separation, the Phoenix domestic violence attorney, Mitchell E. Cohen, Esq., can help. Cohen Family Law has been serving clients throughout Arizona in all aspects of family law matters since 1982. Call today for a free consultation at 602-714-8898.