in response to a previous poster...DV does not necessarily encompass violent acts against someone's intimate but DV swings from mental or physical to sexual or combination of abuse(s).
This issue centers around and is truly a power and control situation between two intimates. Perpetrators exercise coercion and threats (leaving, or going to hurt, etc.), intimidation (smashing things, hitting walls, displaying weapons), emotional (name calling, putting down, etc.) or economic (controlling or taking their $$) abuse, isolation tactics (controlling when and who they talk to), minimizing or denying abuse occurred, using the children (using children to relay messages, etc), and from some cultures - male privilege (they are chattel treating and them like a servant). If it exists in an intimate’s environment there is a real possibility for severe injury escalating to death for one or both intimates involved in the DV situation.
I will point out domestic violence traits are LEARNED and can with psychoeducational sessions and therapy can be unlearned so intimates can enjoy a violence free relationship. Unfortunately, when perps are provided these remedial solutions they are already under judicial direction to participate which exacerbates their displeasure towards their intimate as well as makes remedial efforts a real uphill battle for the psychotherapist providing remediation. (tho quite satisfying to see the perp’s mental light switch turn on so they finally understand both the actual and potential harm they are doing to their intimate)
Some states are quite proactive on their DV enforcement w/no adjudication through the courts – you are guilty if police were called as someone is mandated to be arrested.
the majority of perps are men (<80%) but women are now being charged (>20%) as well. It is also a heterosexual as well as same sex intimates. With the great recession ongoing, DV charges are on the rise as frustrations within the relationship rise until arguments arise where police are called by concerned neighbors.
I will not entertain why intimates stay together in a violent relationship!
And the results as you have read in previous posts…you lose your right to own or access a firearm and very few attorneys I worked with will entertain working w/the perb to get their firearms returned as it is a like trying to corral 300 cats in a confined space.
wabbit