Generally, in places like New Jersey and throughout the country, families are who people go to for love and support. The unconditional love many relatives have for each other helps people get through the difficult times in life. Unfortunately, sometimes those difficult times are caused by a family member, such as a spouse. Whether a spouse is a victim of domestic violence, or falsely accused of it, it can be a challenging and stressful time for everyone involved.
Since domestic violence poses such a dangerous threat to families, there is a lot of time and resources spent in order to prevent it from happening. There are organizations and community resources that initiate campaigns to help those that have been victimized by domestic violence. Lawmakers also attempt to curb violence in the home by making sure that the law adequately protects people against domestic violence.
Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which for over 20 years has saved many lives and has transformed the way victims of domestic violence are treated. The bill goes even further this time, by extending protections to members of the LGBT community, as well as Native Americans.
Domestic violence is a difficult subject to deal with because it can affect people in different ways. There are those who are victims due to the alcohol or drug abuse of a spouse, partner or parent. Such victims deal with the stress of being displaced temporarily or even permanently, and they fear for their lives and safety. Conversely, there are also people who end up being falsely accused of domestic violence, without any knowledge of how to effectively defend such a charge. Even if they are found not guilty, they still have to deal with the stigma of the allegations, which can result in job loss and other serious problems.
Source: New Jersey Newsroom, “House Finally Passes Violence Against Women Act,” Adele Sammarco, Feb. 28, 2013.
