Domestic violence is a real issue. Every year, thousands of women seek sanctuary in shelters in an effort to get away from partners who hurt them and threaten their lives. Every year even more women don’t seek help, continuing to live in fear of the regular abuse they suffer. Many don’t survive. But for all that, it’s important we recognize that domestic violence isn’t a one-trick pony – it’s a multidimensional problem. For example, while it’s easy to picture that only women are victims of domestic abuse, the reality is that men are often victims of domestic assault as well. And also, not every claim of assault by an intimate partner is factual and true.

History is written by the victors.

This is a simple fact. Christopher Columbus discovered America, right? At least, that’s what the history books say. Why? Because despite the fact that millions of people already lived in the Americas, it was Columbus and his descendants who wrote the accounts of the discovery of the pre-American continent, so the slant put on that narrative favors the Italian explorer and colonizer. The same applies to domestic violence accounts, although maybe the term ‘victor’ doesn’t seem as applicable here.

Domestic violence reports are very one-sided.

A domestic violence report is made by the victim, and the police have only that person’s testimony on record. Obviously, if the victim was injured by their partner and they’re being honest, then what’s on record is the truth. But that isn’t always the case. People have been known to report intimate partner violence that didn’t happen. This is done sometimes to punish a partner, or to affect a custody battle outcome, or even just to get a spouse out of the house before filing for divorce. And in those cases, the real victims are the accused, who don’t get a chance to speak up in their own defense for a long time!

Most false allegations of abuse are made against men

Most claims of intimate partner violence are made by women against men, so it stands to reason that the majority of the false allegations of domestic abuse made, would be made by women. (A 2011 Stop Abusive and Violent Environments report found that 85% of protective orders are entered against men.) But what if the allegations are false? What happens to the accuser? In any other case, if you made a false report of a crime to a police officer, you’d end up facing charges yourself. But because the courts want victims of real abuse to feel safe making reports, they rarely pursue charges against people who make false reports of intimate partner violence.

Domestic violence is real! But not all claims of domestic violence are real.

Here at The Kronzek Firm, our experienced family law attorneys have helped many people to get out of abusive marriages over the years. We understand the difficulties you’re facing and can help you navigate the legal system to ensure your future safety, and the safety of your children. But we also understand the difficulties you’re up against if your partner has made false claims of abuse against you! Join us next time for more information on false allegations of abuse, and how to combat them, especially during divorce. We’re available 24/7 at 866 766 5245 to help you protect your reputation and your future, and ensure that you are punished for something you never did!