Domestic violence is one potential reason to file for a divorce, though the reality is that many people stay in these relationships. This really makes domestic violence more common than a lot of people realize. It may be happening to you or someone you know, even if it’s not obvious from the outside.
For instance, did you know that the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence studied it and discovered that every minute about 20 people suffer from physical abuse? And that is just in the United States, and it just counts abuse coming from an intimate partner.
Plus, that is only physical abuse. There are many examples of domestic violence, including:
- Hitting
- Shoving
- Pushing
- Financial abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual assault
- Intimidation
- Stalking
- Forced isolation
- Withholding or controlling money
In a lot of cases, people suffer from multiple types of abuse. For instance, physical abuse may just be the beginning. After it starts happening to you, your partner may use emotional abuse to manipulate you into staying in the marriage. They may also use financial abuse to make you feel trapped — as if you cannot leave because you have no money to do so.
As you can see, these cases are often complex, and there are many different areas to consider. If the abuse and domestic violence do lead to a divorce, be sure you know exactly what legal options you have and what steps you can take. You need to learn how to protect yourself and your children at the moment and how to plan for the best possible future after the marriage ends.