It was not until our modern era that domestic violence was a recognized crime which merited court intervention. Slapping your wife was fine in bygone days because she was your property anyway. People also did not get involved in private family matters. Today, slapping your wife is not okay but neither is verbal abuse.
New York Courts have zero tolerance for allowing a perpetrator to teach his children how to improperly relate to the opposite sex and are cracking down. Where a father had a pattern of verbally abusing his wife in front of his children, both male and female, the court had zero tolerance for his behavior. In a decision, the court explained that a pattern of verbal abuse could be just as damaging as physical abuse. The Court’s recognition of the damage that the father’s behavior could potentially have on his children, led to the Court to grant custody to the mother.
The New York Court system has an Integrated Domestic Violence Court which handles family law matters involving domestic violence. These cases require specialized attention to matters which are criminal in nature but cannot be separated from the family law issues at their heart. Whether it be a family court case or divorce, this Court will handle the matter. The Judges who sit on such courts have had specialized training in issues related to these sensitive topics. It is important to speak up about the possible need to use the resources of such a court in your family law matter which could benefit from such specialized attention.
If you are suffering from domestic violence in your household, whether it be hitting or verbal and psychological abuse, or if you are defending against false allegations, contact Diana Mohyi Attorney at Law for reliable counsel on the matter.