How COVID-19 Increased Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Cases?

Soon after we happily rang in the new year of 2020, Americans were being forced to go home, stay there, and only associate with those in their household as a safety measure to stop the spread of COVID-19. But for victims of domestic violence and child abuse, there is more to the story of their safety in the wake of this unprecedented pandemic.

Reportedly, 1 in 3 women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States have suffered from violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. Children have also been vulnerable to abuse during the pandemic.

If you and your children have recently experienced a domestic violence situation in California or fear for your safety, our Los Angeles domestic violence lawyers at The Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers are here to support you in any related legal proceeding.

How California Law Protects Victims of Abuse?

The court system in California, along with the state’s police force, takes domestic violence and family law seriously. They will protect those victims in harm’s way. And we here at The Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers will acquire an emergency protective order to keep you safe from the abuser.
Domestic violence can be defined as:

• Physical contact, such as a punch, slap, kick, shove, or armed battery
• Verbal threats, like harassing gestures, yelling, and stalking

Here is what will typically happen if the police are called to a scene of domestic violence, and the accused is arrested and detained:

• The victim can file for a temporary ex parte restraining order, which will not allow the accused to contact (by phone, email, text, or a third party) the victim or children.
• The accused abuser will also not be allowed to return to the residence once released from jail.
• If the accused is convicted, the victim cannot be forced to financially support his or her abuser, according to the California Family Code.

Know that, if a parent is accused of domestic violence and the parent’s children witness this scene, family court law will make it even more challenging to gain co-custody or unsupervised visitation.

How Attorneys Are Advocates for Abuse Victims?

As a family law firm with more than 20 years’ experience, we are well trained on the aggressive representation needed for these serious domestic violence and child abuse cases – especially during these times. According to the CDC, the percentage of hospital visits related to child abuse and neglect increased significantly among children and adolescents under 18 years, from 2.1 percent in 2019 to 3.2 percent in 2020.

After you have contacted the police because of an assault at home, we will go to court with you to secure a temporary restraining order. Once a California court grants this order, the subject cannot object to or violate the order; doing so will result in a criminal offense.

A few weeks after that, a hearing will be held to determine if the order will continue or not, and we will be there to fight for your rights for:

• Child support, visits, and contacts
• Spousal support
• Property division

Hire a California Attorney for Your Domestic Violence Case

The legal team of professionals at The Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers is here to stand as the advocate in your family law case to keep you and your children out of danger. Schedule a consultation to further discuss the details of your situation with us today.