Domestic Violence Matters Archives - Page 2 of 6

Blast From The Past: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – How Can You Help?

Blast from the past 13 years Ohio Family Law Blog

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This blog is as meaningful today as it was when we originally posted it on October 14, 2017. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We have listed links to resources and past blog articles to assist those in need during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s all do our part to help erase domestic violence everywhere in our world!

10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation About Domestic Violence

October is domestic violence awareness month. Unfortunately, at one time or another we have all come across situations of domestic violence . As a divorce lawyer, I see examples of its tragic effects all the time. In Dayton we are very fortunate to have the Artemis House resource to assist victims of domestic violence!

In order to help spread ddomestic violence awareness about this terrible situation, I have posted below the “10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation About Domestic Violence” published by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) https://nnedv.org/. Also, at the end of this article, I have share links to some of the prior articles we have published on this topic on the Ohio Family Law Blog in the past. Let’s all do our part to … Read More... “Blast From The Past: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – How Can You Help?”

Wondering About Domestic Violence in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Shelter-in-Place Era?

coronavirus domestic violence artemis center

Dayton’s Artimis Center Ready to Provide Help for Domestic Abuse Survivors Affected by the Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order

Recently I have read several articles online regarding the effect the various coronavirus shelter-in-place orders are having on domestic violence cases. Some places have seen a spike in those filings/incidents and others have not.

Logically, one might think that the quarantine orders along with the stress and financial hardship of COVID-19 would naturally result in a much higher number of domestic violence incidents. To get a better handle on this situation locally, I reached out to Jane Keiffer, MSW, LISW, and the executive director of the Artemis Center in Dayton.

Interestingly, Ms. Keiffer shared with me that there has not been a spike in calls at Dayton’s Artemis Center since the stay at hone order went into effect on March 15, 2020. She said, “We believe that this is due to the abuser being at home, monitoring the victim, close quarters so calls are not private, phones are being taken away or broken. We do not believe it is because violence is not occurring.” Neither the Dayton Police or Montgomery County Sheriff Departments have seen an increase in domestic violence calls either.… Read More... “Wondering About Domestic Violence in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Shelter-in-Place Era?”

Increase in Domestic Violence Filings in Montgomery County in 2019

domestic violence civil protection order montgomery county

Call The Police First When Facing Domestic Violence Issues?

In the last 4 years in Montgomery County the Montgomery County Domestic Relations Court has cited that they have seen a 40 percent increase in the number of civil protection orders. Anyone, man or woman, can go to court and ask for a civil protection order from another individual, if they feel threatened or endangered by that individual. There is not a fee involved to file the order, and the person filing can get a hearing immediately. The purpose of the order is to forbid the threatening party from contacting or going near the individual who feels endangered.

Of course there is no guarantee that the civil protection order will keep an individual safe from further harassment or even violence. The Montgomery County Relations Court is finding that issuing protection orders is consuming greater than half of the entire caseload. Chief Judge Denise Cross believes that in many cases the protection order serves it’s purpose and as a result the abuser does leave the victim alone. Judge Cross says that the first step for anyone who feels concerned for their safety is to call the police for help, and then go … Read More... “Increase in Domestic Violence Filings in Montgomery County in 2019”

Blast From The Past: Custody Wars: My Lawyer Suggested that I Fabricate a Child Abuse Allegation!

PUBLISHER’S UPDATE: Here is one of my favorites posts written by custody expert Judianne Cochran from back on September 18th, 2010! We have a ton of interesting articles in our archives of the Ohio Family Law Blog. Use our Search tool and enjoy a few oldie but goodies!

Using False Allegations In Family Law Custody Cases. Will I get A Better Position?

In recent years there has been a steady and alarming increase in the use of false allegations of vague, unsupported claims of domestic violence and even vaguer claims of child abuse, used solely in an attempt to find a shortcut to a presumed better position in custody cases.

What is more alarming is the observation that more often than not the attorneys of record for the litigants making these claims have been those unschooled in and relatively new to the family law arena, who have chosen to step outside their actual specialty and add a minor “division” of family law to their practices. Often, a new, young, unskilled associate is added to the practice to handle these family law issues.

Some of these practitioners use this mechanism so frequently that simply hearing the name of the attorney leads … Read More... “Blast From The Past: Custody Wars: My Lawyer Suggested that I Fabricate a Child Abuse Allegation!”

How Attorneys and Expert Witnesses Can Effectively Manage Each Other in Domestic Violence Cases

Communication Crucial Between Attorneys And Experts in Domestic Violence Cases

The Trust Between Attorneys And Expert Witnesses Essential To Successfully Litigate A Domestic Violence case

It’s a slogan we all know: Customer satisfaction is priority number one. No different than a customer-salesperson relationship, a client embroiled in a domestic violence case who hires an attorney is looking for a positive result. Nonetheless, the attorney needs to manage the client’s expectations by properly informing the client of the intricacies and unpredictability of the legal process, and the client needs to understand the realistic potential outcomes.

If the lawsuit necessitates that an expert be retained, the attorney and expert need to have a relationship built on trust. This is particularly important so they can each manage the other’s expectations. How can this be accomplished? Generally, managing is a proactive, continuous effort that will change depending upon new information and developments in the case. While the attorney and client need to be on the same … Read More... “How Attorneys and Expert Witnesses Can Effectively Manage Each Other in Domestic Violence Cases”

Domestic Violence – Let’s Look at the Local Statistics!

Domestic Violence – No More Silence

The number of reported domestic violence cases has dramatically increased over the years since the domestic violence statute went into effect in Ohio in 1978. These numbers shocked me, even as a Dayton divorce lawyer who entered the practice back in 1978.

Chief Montgomery County Magistrate Keith Hall recently reported the following:

In 1978 there were 35 Civil Domestic Violence Filings
In 1979 there were 50 Civil Domestic Violence Filings
In 2016 there were 1,400 Civil Domestic Violence Filings
In 2017 there were 1,710 Civil Domestic Violence Filings

Believe it or not, this number of Civil Domestic Violence Filings in 2017 EXCEEDED the total number of divorces and dissolutions combined that year!

To try to help put this in context, I interviewed Jane Keiffer, MSW, LISW, the Executive Director of the Artemis Center in Dayton. Ms. Keiffer explained that she did not interpret these numbers to mean necessarily that MORE domestic violence was occurring, but that there was much more awareness in our society. She told me that in addition the #metoo movement “has allowed individuals to speak up when they have been afraid and has given some the courage to acknowledge what they … Read More... “Domestic Violence – Let’s Look at the Local Statistics!”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month – How Can You Help?

sad lady beside a lighted decorative star

10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation About Domestic Violence

October is domestic violence awareness month. Unfortunately, at one time or another we have all come across situations of domestic violence. As a divorce lawyer, I see examples of its tragic effects all the time. In Dayton we are very fortunate to have the Artemis House resource to assist victims of domestic violence!

In order to help spread awareness about this terrible situation, I have posted below the “10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation About Domestic Violence” published by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) https://nnedv.org/. Also, at the end of this article, I have share links to some of the prior articles we have published on this topic on the Ohio Family Law Blog in the past. Let’s all do our part to help eradicate domestic violence throughout society!

NEVER victim blame.Abuse is never the victim’s fault. As a society, we continue to place blame on victims by asking, “What did she do to deserve that?” or “What was she wearing?” or “Why was she there?” or “Why couldn’t she just keep her knees together?” Yet we do not ask these questions to

Page 2 of 6

1 2 3 4 … 6