Domestic Violence Charges

What is Domestic Abuse?

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), domestic violence is a type of abuse committed between intimate partners. "Intimate partner" can refer to a parent, child, roommate, dating partner, spouse or other close acquaintance. Domestic violence is a serious problem in the United States and commonly results in physical injury and, psychological scaring and emotional anxiety or depression. According to the NLM and NIH, individuals of all races and ages are affected by domestic violence, but it is difficult to know the extent of its influence because many domestic violence cases are never reported to the police.

Domestic violence takes many forms, but is generally an attempt to gain or maintain power over an individual. This is committed through emotional/psychological abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse. Abusive partners may attempt to gain emotional control over victims by calling names, acting possessively, become extremely jealous, and attempting to isolate the victim from friends and family. In extreme cases, abusers attempt to keep victims from working, controlling their own finances or going to school. Emotional abuse takes many forms and may include threats of violence and overbearing behavior. Generally speaking, any repeated behavior that attempts to humiliate the victim may be considered emotional abuse.

Sexually abusive partners tend to idealize rigid gender roles. Additionally, any behavior that is sexually demeaning may be considered domestic abuse. Abusive partners may ignore their partners' feelings regarding sex and become extremely possessive. Sexual abuse often involves manipulating the victim into performing sexual acts or having sex. Physical abuse takes many forms as well. Physical abusers may threaten to hurt their victims' children, drive recklessly to scare their partner or force their partner to leave home. Threats of violence and abandonment may be considered physical abuse, too. Additionally, physical abuse includes slapping, pushing, biting, kicking hitting and other forms of physical contact.

Domestic Violence Statistics

Statistically, one in four American women will suffer domestic violence at some point in their lives. Women in their early twenties are most likely to suffer non-fatal injuries form physical domestic violence. Only 15% of domestic violence victims are male, and approximately 1.3 million people are hurt in instances involving domestic violence every year. According to the Nation Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 33% of female murder victims are killed by an intimate partner such as a roommate, boyfriend, husband or family member. Many of these victims experienced patterns of physical abuse before they were killed. Additionally, most instances of domestic abuse are not reported to the police. This, it is difficult to know exactly how many people are hurt and killed by domestic violence in the United States every year. However, it is a prevalent threat to the safety and wellbeing of many people across the nation.

Abuse and the U.S. Economy

Domestic abuse costs the United States an estimated $5.8 billion every year. Most of this money is used for direct medical treatment and mental health services. This estimated cost includes doctors' visits, hospital stays and other costs related to abuse. Domestic violence victims results in almost 8 million lost work days every year. This equals about 32,000 lost, full-time jobs and 5.6 million days of lost household productivity. Even though these costs may seem extreme, they do not include women who were injured and did not seek medical help. According to NCADV, less than one fifth of women who suffer domestic abuse seek medical after receiving an injury. If every domestic violence victim sought medical treatment, the economy would suffer an even greater impact.

Charged with Domestic Violence?

The police and DA's Offices in White Plains take domestic violence very seriously. If you have been arrested, or if the police are looking for you in connection with a domestic violence charge, you need to contact an experienced White Plains criminal lawyer immediately. My name is Attorney John M. Cromwell, and I have been representing individuals in your position since 1988. I am committed to defending your rights and helping you avoid the serious consequences you face.

A heated argument between you and your spouse or significant other which results in a shove, a bruise, or a phone call to 911 in a moment of anger, can result in either or both of you being arrested. You will not under any circumstances be given an appearance ticket. By contacting an attorney right away, before your arraignment, you can significantly increase your chances of getting out of jail with the lowest possible bail, or even no bail, depending on the circumstances.

If you arrested in White Plains, you can count on spending at least a day or possibly longer in jail if the arrest occurred over a weekend or during a busy period, before you see a judge. This can have serious consequences for your job, your reputation in the community, and with immigration if you are not a United States citizen. Hiring a lawyer experienced in resolving domestic violence charges is critical to the successful resolution of your case.

A domestic violence charge is grounds for deportation if you are not a citizen, but I am experienced in resolving all the issues which come up in relation to criminal prosecution, including immigration matters, family court and civil rights actions. There is much at stake for your future, and I urge you to call me today to begin work on your defense.