Last Friday, on the weekly VICE news report on HBO, a feature entitled “THE WAR AT HOME” discussed a progressive program in Seattle designed to prevent homicides caused by domestic violence. HBO subscribers can watch this feature by finding it on demand or on HBO GO; Season 6, Episode 28.
The HBO report included the following statistics:
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Domestic violence impacts millions of Americans each year
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3 women are killed by an intimate partner every day
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An abuser’s access to a gun increases the risk of homicide by 500%
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Violence is most likely to happen within 90 days after a breakup
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1 in 3 women report that they feel less safe after calling the police
The HBO report highlighted a King County task force made up of advocates, lawyers and police officers tracking abuser’s access to guns after a domestic violence order has been issued against them. The HBO report showed a docket in King County Superior Court during which 24 cases were scheduled to allow the person subject to a temporary protection order to appear and respond to a request to surrender their weapons. Once the order to surrender was issued, the police go to the alleged abuser’s home to seize the weapons. If the temporary order is not extended, the weapons are returned.
While the focus of most discussions about domestic violence focus on women as the victim – men are also the victims of domestic violence. While it is far less common, it does happen. Men often never report it due to embarrassment and thinking they will not be believed. Men seldom seek protection from the court in the form of a domestic violence protection order. Unfortunately, judges don’t believe men as often as they should.
Taking Legal Action
Most victims describe feeling isolated by the legal system when attempting to obtain a domestic violence protection order. At the Law Offices of Molly B. Kenny, our clients will not feel isolated when using our experienced family law attorneys to help them through the court process to obtain a protection order.
