Q: Who should a domestic violence victim turn to for help?
When your law practice is exclusively devoted to all aspects of Arizona family law, you routinely get to help families navigate the more common issues in a divorce, like child custody and visitation (legally referred to as legal decision-making and parenting time, respectively). Unfortunately, you also see your share of domestic violence.
Many people think of the police right away when it comes to domestic violence (and rightly so), but often don’t realize that a domestic violence attorney can also help ensure your physical safety.
Domestic violence may be present in any relationship, married or not. Victims can be adults or children. The type of abuse can range from physical violence to emotional/verbal abuse or harassment, to sexual abuse. In addition, the abuse can be a single incident or an ongoing series of incidents and can be perpetrated by a stranger, acquaintance, friend, family member, boss, partner or spouse.
While no incident of abuse is ever acceptable, it is particularly distressing to see incidents of domestic violence reported against children in the news.
Recently, a Phoenix man was taken into custody for reportedly beating a five-year-old boy with a belt; he faces one count of child abuse.
Police, investigating a reported child abuse incident found the boy to have multiple injuries including “black and blue bruises covering his entire buttocks region”, a bruise on his forehead and cut on his cheek. Both the victim and his mother reportedly confirmed that the man had beaten the child. And the suspect allegedly confessed to the beating upon questioning by police. Two belts were found at the scene. There was no mention of whether the child was removed to protective custody or whether the mother would face any charges.
If you or a loved one is a victim of domestic violence, you should contact the police immediately and then contact an experienced and compassionate family law attorney to help you sort through the legal process.
The entire staff at Cohen Family Law understands and is sensitive to the needs of domestic violence victims and can help you. Call us for a free consultation at 602-714-8898. Through our office in Phoenix, we represent clients throughout the State of Arizona in all family law matters.