Family members don’t get along from time to time. While these could be categorized as silly fights, others can be very dramatic and serious. Even when family members are able to keep their emotions and temper in check, a certain dispute could erupt into a full-blown fight that turns aggressive. Domestic violence can be a very serious situation for families in New York and elsewhere. These events could tear families apart, even causing some to seek added protection from future occurrences.
In matters where there is an abused spouse, he or she could take steps to guard him or herself from future attacks. A retraining order could be issued, helping to prevent the abuser from coming in contact with the victim. In other cases, an order of protection could be order, adding additional and longer security for the victim.
There are various protective orders a victim of domestic violence could file for. To begin, an emergency protection order could be issued. This is a short-term option and occurs when the abuser is arrested. These are typically valid for a short amount of time, giving the victim time to file for protection that lasts for a longer term. A restraining order could also be filed for. This order requires or forbids certain actions. These are similar to those included in protection orders.
A protection order is used to accomplish different things. It could prevent contact altogether, limit the reasons for contact, order that a certain distance is kept between the abuser and victim, order the abuser to move out of the residence, order the abuser to surrender firearms or order the abuser to attend counseling. Depending on the situation and what the ultimate goal of the victim is, a protection order could be used to accomplish many things.
Being a victim of domestic violence does not necessarily mean that a marriage or relationship is over, however, it does mean that a victim can take action to protect him or herself. Thus, it is imperative that they take the time to become aware of their rights and how best to protect them.
Source: Findlaw.com, “Stopping Domestic Violence,” accessed Feb. 10, 2018