Domestic abuse is a relatively broad term covering conflict, various types of psychological abuse, and physical violence.

According to researchers at the United Nations, domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any age, gender, or relationship to the abuser. The abuse can be physical, emotional, psychological, or sexual, including threats of violence, pain, and emotional blackmail. Any type of behavior designed to terrorize, manipulate, intimidate, threaten or influence another person can be classified as abuse.

Unfortunately, most abusers know their victims well as sexual partners, family members, roommates, friends, dependents, parents, other relatives, and people thrown together by fate. Abuse runs across socioeconomic boundaries, educational levels, religious affiliation, and other permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary relationships.

Becoming a Victim of Abuse

Anyone can become a victim of abuse regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. Abuse often disguises itself as protection and support – especially economic support. Domestic abuse most commonly occurs between sexual partners, but it can take the form of physical, mental, or economic abuse designed to control the actions of another person.

Domestic Conflict

Domestic conflict can easily happen between any two people, and it refers to basic matters where people disagree. The normal disagreements between people aren’t usually so severe as to generate physical violence, but it does happen. For example, the conflict can arise between family members, cohabitants, and current or former sexual partners.

Domestic Abuse

According to specialists, domestic abuse can creep on you and become quite severe before realizing it. It often starts with words designed to hurt or embarrass you. Though painful, verbal abuse doesn’t usually prevent someone from doing what they want to do. However, abusers often employ multiple strategies to intimidate, threaten and take physical control over someone else’s physical actions. Mild cases can often be treated with education and counseling, but more severe cases might require legal action or criminal justice. Typical signs of domestic abuse include the following:

• Embarrassing you in front of friends, family members, business associates, or neighbors
• Making you feel unqualified to make normal decisions
• Using economic force to control your behavior
• Intimidating or threatening you to gain compliance
• Rough treatment like pushing, shoving, pinching, smacking, and hitting
• Stalking you in person, by phone/digitally to know where you are at all times
• Apologizing after an abusive episode and blaming the abuse on alcohol, drugs, or excessive bad luck
• Blaming you for causing the abuser to act a certain way
• Using dangerous violence to control your behavior
• Making you feel helpless and alone
• Preventing you from other social activities

Abusive Violence

Violence is illegal and never appropriate in any situation except self-defense. When abuse escalates to violence, you could be severely injured or killed. That’s the time when you should seek a legal remedy or get out of the situation immediately by any means necessary.

Victims of abuse have a hard time discerning between various types of abuse. Experts agree that abuse grows steadily stronger because the struggle is almost always based on gaining more and more power. Abusers invariably develop new threatening and coercive strategies to get their way. Everyone experiences conflict, but abuse and violence take things to another level. Some conflicts can be healthy, but it’s critical to realize the difference between normal conflict and domestic abuse.

The Legal Standpoint on Domestic Abuse

Each state defines and approaches domestic abuse and violence differently. However, while there is no unified solution against it, battery, assault, hitting, etc., are considered misdemeanors or criminal felonies in all U.S. jurisdictions. In addition, in many states, mandatory arrest laws against abusers are in place.

For instance, in California, you can file felony charges against an abuser if the plaintiff presents injuries and the defendant has a criminal record showing a history of domestic violence offenses.

In New York, a domestic abuse misdemeanor can equal jail time and fines. On the other hand, a felony charge for a domestic violence offense can land the defendant in prison for 25 years. It is worse for abusers convicted of class A felonies.

The laws on domestic violence in Texas consider the threats of harm, provocative behavior, and the victim’s bodily injuries. For example, a defendant with no history of domestic abuse can do one year in prison and pay hefty fines in a case involving an assault on a family member resulting in the victim’s bodily injuries.

No matter the state you are in, you have plenty of rights. It may not seem like it at first. Still, the law, the authorities, attorneys, and professional governmental and non-governmental organizations will be there by your side when you need them.

You Can Get Free Regardless of Your Status

You can use legal remedies, social service agencies, friends, and relatives to help you break free from the cycle of domestic abuse and violence. If you are from Texas, contact a domestic violence lawyer in Texas today to discuss your options. Whether you live in a big city or a small charming town, do the same. Report the abuse to the police, contact an attorney, find the best resources around to get your life back on track.

You’re not alone, and there are many support systems available immediately. These include arresting the abuser, relocation to a protected group, and other strategies to get you safe and protected.

Author:

As a journalist, Leland D. Bengtson dedicated most of his career to law reporting. His greatest satisfaction is to convey legal matters to the public in a language that they can understand. He is active on various platforms and media outlets, writing about common legal issues that people confront with every day. While medical malpractice is his strong suit, Leland covers plenty of other topics, including personal injury cases, family law, and other civil and even criminal legal matters.