There is a misconception that domestic violence rates spike during the holiday season – generally from Thanksgiving through the New Year. A rise in stress levels, combined with family spending so much time together, often creates this idea that physical violence rates increase. However, the reality seems to paint a very different picture.
Domestic abuse is a pattern of controlling behaviors, violence, or threats of violence, that one person uses to establish power over an intimate partner or family member in order to control that person’s actions and activities.
Abusive relationships usually don’t start out that way, often violent and abusive behavior develops over time. Knowing the warning signs of an abusive relationship can help you identify and protect yourself from a potentially dangerous relationship.
Creating a parenting plan and time-sharing schedule that both parents agree on can be challenging. If parents cannot come to an agreement, the matter can be taken to court to be resolved. While in court, accusations of substance abuse may be brought up. Often, these allegations are made in an attempt to sway a judge’s ruling in the accuser’s favor.
Whether it’s ultimately founded or fabricated, the state of Florida court system will take the accusation seriously to make sure that no children are being put into a potentially unsafe situation.
On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year. If you are in a violent relationship, seek help immediately. Cycles of violence can continue for your children that are watching the abuse. Being strong and breaking free is something that will set the course for a new life for you and them.
Here is domestic violence advice from the Tampa Police Department:
Emergency Protection Order
In many states, when the police encounter a domestic violence situation one of the two parties involved in the dispute is required or requested to leave the home. Often, this person is the abuser, although the police can be mistaken about who the aggressor is. In about one-third of states, police officers are also authorized or required to remove guns when they arrive at the scene of a domestic violence incident.
In some states, the police can give the victim (or person believed to be the victim) an Emergency Protection Order (EPO). An EPO is a short-term protection order typically given to a victim by the police or magistrate when his or her abuser is arrested for domestic violence. The EPO is generally for limited period, such as three or seven days. This permits the victim time with an EPO in place to request a longer-term protection order.
