October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The harmful effects of domestic violence are significant, sabotaging the safety of many men, women, and children regardless of social class. Once considered a private issue between two partners, domestic violence issues slowly gained the public’s attention and are now at the forefront of national campaigns. According to the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV), one in three women, and one in seven men have been or will be victims of domestic violence. However, there are instances where a person can be unfairly accused of such behavior. If you have been wrongly accused of domestic abuse and served with an order of protection (OOP), it is important to understand the best way to address these false accusations.
Handling False Accusations
Domestic abuse refers to violent acts committed by a family or household member against another. The consequences of domestic violence accusations can result in protective orders being issued against the alleged abuser. In cases where the accused is a parent, these orders can impact child-related issues, such as allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time by limiting contact with a child.
Unfortunately, a vengeful spouse may file abuse charges against the other spouse to obtain a restraining order. This is sometimes used as a tactic in disagreements related to child custody, parenting time, or other disputed issues in the divorce. In many cases, there are no witnesses of the so-called offense other than the victim and the alleged perpetrator. When there is no evidence such as a bruise or laceration, it can be very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that domestic violence actually occurred. Photographs and medical records simply show that an injury occurred, not who did it. In addition, an attorney can discredit the accuser’s testimony by pointing out inconsistencies in his or her story.
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