If someone accuses you of domestic violence, it is crucial to understand what that means. Just because you have never laid a finger on your partner does not mean you could not face charges.
There are several groups of people that could make accusations of domestic violence against you. They are your current or former partner and their children, someone else you had a recent sexual relationship and your family. They could seek a protection order which can limit your freedom and may even prevent you from entering your own home.
Domestic abuse can take many forms
Not all domestic abuse involves physical violence. Here are some of the other actions a person could use as grounds to accuse you:
- Financial abuse: When one partner earns most of the money, it can lead to conflict. The other person may feel they contribute to the relationship in different ways and have a right to some of the money to spend as they wish.
- Psychological abuse: Giving an honest opinion when your wife asks how they look in that dress or laughing when your husband announces he is applying for a job as a rocket scientist could count. A court is unlikely to uphold a charge based on one incident alone, but if your accuser can show you continually put them down, it may.
- Stalking: Perhaps you have reason to be suspicious that your girlfriend is cheating on you. Yet, if you follow her to see where she is going or check her phone messages or emails, she could accuse you of stalking her, which a court may consider domestic abuse.
As you can see, domestic violence is not always a clear-cut issue, and you could find yourself facing charges and a protective order for actions you thought were reasonable. It is crucial to act quickly to avoid the harsh consequences domestic violence accusations can have.