Port St. Lucie Restraining Order Against an Abusive Husband

Victims trapped in abusive relationships live in constant fear, day and night—and for good reason. The moods of abusive spouses and partners seem to wane on a knife’s edge, and are often impossible to predict. As tension builds, victims may be able to predict that an outburst of anger and violence is imminent, though in other cases the abuse may come out of nowhere. Whether you have left your abusive spouse or partner yet, an experienced domestic violence attorney can help you start the next chapter of your life free of fear, stalking, and retaliation by petitioning the court for an order of protection against violence, also called a restraining order.

Domestic Violence: The Epidemic in the U.S. That No One is Talking About

Four women are killed every day in acts of domestic violence, according to recent research and reported by the Huffington Post. An additional 20 people—both men and women, though mostly women—are physically abused every single minute, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), adding up to nearly 30,000 victims per day. The fact that tens of millions of women across the United States are subjected to severe emotional, psychological, financial, and physical abuse—abuse that ruins and even ends lives—every day is simply shocking. The fact that this atrocious problem is rarely discussed in politics or mainstream media is equally troubling, particularly when the following NCADV statistics are taken into account:

• 34 percent of Florida women experience intimate partner violence or stalking;
• If the male abuser has access to a firearm, the likelihood of femicide (the murder of a women) increases more than 500 percent;
• 72 percent of murder suicides involve a domestic partner, of which 95 percent of victims are female; and;
• 15 percent of all violent crime is domestic violence.

Per WebMd.com signs of abuse include:

• Accusations of affairs
• Blame for abuse
• Criticisms
• A partner or spouse that tells you what to wear and how you should look
• Threatens to kill or harm the spouse or others important to the spouse or partner
• Throws things or punches walls when angry
• Yells at you and makes you feel small

Your partner controls your money:

• Keeps cash and credit cards from you
• Puts you on an allowance and makes you explain every dollar you spend
• Keeps you from working whatever job you want
• Steals money from you or your friends
• Won’t let you have money for basic needs like food and clothes

Your partner cuts you off from family and friends:

• Keeps close tabs on where you go and whom you go with
• Makes you ask for an OK to see friends and family
• Embarrasses you in front of others, and it makes you want to avoid people

Your partner physically abuses you:

• Abandons you in a place you don’t know
• Attacks you with weapons
• Keeps you from eating, sleeping, or getting medical care
• Locks you in or out of your house
• Punches, pushes, kicks, bites, pulls hair

Your partner sexually abuses you:

• Forces you to have sex
• Makes you dress in a sexual way
• Makes you feel like you owe them sex
• Tries to give you an STD
• Won’t use condoms or other birth control

Signs Someone You Know Is Being Abused

Keep an eye out for things like:

• Excuses for injuries
• Personality changes, like low self-esteem in someone who was always confident
• Constantly checking in with their partner
• Never having money on hand
• Overly worried about pleasing their partner
• Skipping out on work, school, or social outings for no clear reason
• Wearing clothes that don’t fit the season, like long sleeves in summer to cover bruises

If you are abused call 911 for emergency assistance or if the danger is not immediate call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233). Call from a friend’s house or somewhere else where you feel safe.

You can also turn to friends, family, neighbors, your doctor, or your spiritual community.

Does a Restraining Order Really Help?

Obviously a restraining order, which, tangibly, is nothing more than words on paper, cannot physically stop an abusive or homicidal partner in his tracks. However, multiple studies support the efficacy of restraining orders. One study found that abuse, physical assault, stalking, and harassment of abused women who merely filed for a protection order—some of the orders were not granted—declined significantly even when the order was not granted, according to the Crime Report. Restraining orders work by getting the abuser’s attention and letting them understand that not only has their behavior been serious, but will be criminally or civilly penalized in the future if it continues.

Our Port St. Lucie Restraining Order Attorneys Are Here to Help

Restraining orders are self empowering, and create a concrete barrier between the past and the future. We can help you move on with your life safely and escape the cycle of abuse that you have been experiencing for seemingly endless weeks, months, and years. We can file a temporary order of protection for immediate relief, and a longer term injunction that will last multiple years. Call the Port St. Lucie domestic violence defense attorneys at Baginski Brandt & Brandt today at 772-466-0707 to schedule a free consultation.

Resources:

ncadv.org/statistics

thecrimereport.org/2018/01/23/do-orders-of-protection-actually-shield-victims/