Domestic violence cases can be complex

Many people focus on domestic violence as something that impact spouses; however, this issue is much more widespread. The legal definition of domestic violence involves people who live in the same household, as well as dating partners and even exes who share children.

Another common misconception is that only women are victims of domestic violence. Men can also be victims of this crime; it just depends on the circumstances. On the flip side, it is also possible for men or women alike to face criminal charges for this crime.

There are many forms of domestic violence that can occur. While physical abuse is one of the more common and the easiest to spot, the other forms can do just as much damage to the victim. Courts will consider this if there are charges brought based on any of these.

• Emotional abuse demeans the victim and makes them feel worthless.
• Sexual abuse involves sexual contact without the victim’s consent.
• Economic abuse requires the victim to be financially reliant on the abuser.
• Physical abuse involves violent behavior like hitting, punching or shoving.

Sometimes, domestic violence cases are hard to prosecute because the victims aren’t willing to cooperate. The prosecution might choose to push forward with criminal charges based on the evidence that’s available. For this reason, you shouldn’t ever think that you can skimp on your defense planning just because the victim isn’t going to cooperate. It is always a good idea to shore up your defense so that you can fight the charges or at least try to minimize the penalties you will face.