It is a heartbreaking reality that many people in New York suffer in silence as the victims of domestic violence. It is not always possible to tell if a person is a domestic violence victim just by looking at them, as domestic violence is more than just physical violence. Domestic violence can involve emotional and psychological harm, physical and sexual abuse and other damaging means of inflicting misery on members of the aggressors’ households.
It is also heartbreaking that in many cases it is up to victims of domestic violence to end the patterns of violence that plague their lives. Rare is the aggressor who will simply stop terrorizing their victim; aggressors often do not stop their behaviors until they are forced to do so through legally enforceable tools such as protective orders.
A domestic violence victim may feel uneasy about taking steps to stop their aggressors, but under New York law they are protected when they speak up and call out the abuse that they have had to suffer at the hands of others. Victims of domestic violence do not have to take these actions alone, as attorneys who work in the domestic violence and family law fields are often excellent resources and support systems for their domestic violence clients.
Advocate LLP is a New York-based family law firm that takes pride in the support it offers to its domestic violence clients. The attorneys of the firm work with each individual to ensure that they are protected by the laws of the state and that they understand that their legal problems are reversible. Domestic violence victims should not be afraid to get help; contacting an attorney is often the first step to take.