In the wake of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) tragic report detailing the extent domestic violence persists throughout the world, the Law Firm of Sandy T. Fox is dedicating this post to an overview of domestic violence solutions for those in need.The report released by the WHO this month was the first comprehensive worldwide survey of domestic violence. The rate of domestic violence in North America, although lower than the world average, is still about one in four. The report found one third of women have suffered domestic violence with a startling 40% of women killed across the world as a result of attacks by their intimate partner.
Florida Working to End Domestic Violence
A grant awarded to Florida State University researchers has been put to use to attempt to tackle domestic violence in the criminal justice community. This first-of-its-kind online toolkit known as the National Prevention Toolkit on Officer-Involved Domestic Violence and will first hit 10-states before going nationwide. The goals of the initiative are to educate criminal justice officers on communication dynamics and the consequences of domestic violence. The Law Firm of Sandy T. Fox is proud of the nationwide contributions Florida is making to combat this trend.
Leaders in Orange County are also currently revising new ways to tackle this national problem. The Domestic Violence Commission has come up with several new recommendations which may hint towards similar changes throughout the state. Some major recommendations are: preventing those accused of domestic violence from having a phone in jail as they often abuse the privilege to harass the victim, enforcement agencies should be required to alert the State Attorney’s Office in the cause of repeat violations within 24 hour periods, and victims should be added to a no-contact order lists which would allow law enforcement to more easily identify if the individual is in danger again.
Domestic Violence and Family Solutions
Since no-fault divorce has taken the place of more specific fault-based grounds in Florida, domestic violence importance in the divorce has been downgraded to non-existent. Previous acts or a history of domestic violence no longer factor into the divorce proceeding. However, these still do matter in other aspects of a divorce.
Equitable distribution, the settlement of the spouses separate property, is supposed to be fair to both parties and the court will have difficulty ignoring spouses who have been abused, physically or emotionally, or spouses who have suffered acts of adultery.
In instances of domestic abuse in homes with children, it is not only a good suggestion to seek help but a moral obligation. One solution the court may grant is a Protection from Abuse order which can lead to jail time if the offender violates the terms. These cool down periods are necessary to keep yourself and children safe while you consider the road ahead. Anyone within a family may file this order, including grandparents, spouses, ex-spouses, children or anyone intimately involved with the family. Different injunctions exist for those suffering from violence that do not qualify for . A Petition for Protection against Sexual Violence or Injunction for Protection against Dating Violence
Any acts of domestic abuse would favor the non-abusive parent heavily in determinations related to the child including custody and visitation rights.
Here at the Law Firm of Sandy T. Fox, our South Florida domestic violence attorneys are dedicated to clients in the Miami-Dade and Fort Lauderdale areas create and maintain healthy happy relationships. We must strongly encourage anyone being put in unsafe conditions or suffering harm as the result of domestic violence contact both local authorities and legal support. We are equipped and experienced to provide you with the compassionate confidential support you need to achieve your goals. If this sounds familiar and you are in the South Florida area, please contact our office online for your confidential consultation by calling (800) 596-0579.
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