What Is Domestic Violence?
Any physical, sexual, mental, or emotional intimidation or abuse caused by one person in a relationship to another. The term applies to partners who are married or unmarried, living together or not.
However, to fully understand domestic violence, you first have to understand a domestic relationship.
What is a Domestic Relationship?
In California, a domestic relationship is defined as one or more of the following:
-The offender’s spouse or former spouse
-The offender’s cohabitant or former cohabitant
-The offender’s fiancé or fiancée, or someone with whom the offender has, or previously had, an engagement or dating relationship (as defined in paragraph [10] of subdivision [f] of Section 243.)
-The mother or father of the defendant’s child
If there is a domestic relationship, then any of the following behaviors constitutes domestic violence:
-Intentionally or recklessly to cause or attempt to cause bodily injury
-Sexual assault
-To place a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent bodily injury to that person or to another
What are some warning signs that you or someone you know is in a violent relationship?
There are a lot of signs that are warnings to know if you are in an abusive relationship. These include if your partner controls your work, reads everything on your phones, tells you what you can and cannot wear, acts jealous, calls you names, forces you to do things, and other things like if your partner acts one way in front of other people and another way when you are alone.
What about if you think someone you know is being abused? One sign is that if you notice frequent injuries, but they always have excuses for how the injury occurred. You may also notice them missing a lot more work or school. It is also noticeable to see a change in their personality and self-esteem. These are just a few of the things that you may notice in a friend if they are in an abusive relationship. Look at for these things, and don’t be afraid to confront them and offer your love and support.
Facts about Domestic Violence
-More than 10 million Americans are victims of physical violence annually
-Domestic violence is most common among women aged 18-35
-A majority of physical abuse is committed by dating partners rather than spouses
-More than 75% of women aged 18-49 who are abused were previously abused by the same perpetrator
-Intimate partner physical abuse has declined 67% since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994.
-1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men is a victim of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes
Recent San Diego Domestic Violence Cases
Tony Young, a former San Diego councilman, has been let off for domestic violence charges that surfaced in August 2016. Jacqueline Young, called 911 to report the incident involving battery, threats and a weapon. While his status as councilman has not affected the court turnout, the court decided that there was insufficient evidence for charges.
Daniel Burde, a member of the Santa Clara Police Department was arrested in December 2016 for felony domestic violence charges against his girlfriend. His date did not require hospitalization but injuries were readily apparent to authorities. He is currently on paid leave from the department until the investigation is finalized.
Looking for more information about domestic violence?
Watch this video from Bradley Corbett to learn more about domestic violence cases.
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