Recently, a very disturbing story hit the news. According to NBC WESH 2, a 61-year-old woman in Palm Springs, Florida stabbed her 62-year-old disabled husband 140 times and hit him on the head with a meat cleaver. The husband died from his wounds. The Palm Springs police arrested the woman. She was charged with first degree murder. The husband had filed for divorce near the end of December. The husband’s divorce attorney believes that the divorce, and a high stakes division of property negotiation involving millions of dollars in real estate, may have contributed to the wife’s abusive actions and, ultimately, the husband’s gruesome murder.
This tragic case is an unfortunate example of what can happen if an abusive spouse is left unchecked. Anyone dealing with an abusive husband or wife needs to understand that there’s no time to waste, especially if children are involved. If you recognize the signs of abuse, get yourself and your kids to safety as soon as possible, contact law enforcement, and reach out to an experienced domestic abuse and divorce attorney right away. It can literally mean the difference between life and death.
Signs of an Abusive Spouse
In some cases, the signs of domestic abuse are hard to miss. However, not every form of abuse is easy to recognize. Therefore, it’s important to know as many signs of abuse as possible because the sooner you recognize signs of abuse (especially subtle signs) from a spouse the greater your chances are of getting yourself and your children to safety before it’s too late.
Common signs of an abusive spouse include the following:
- Criticizing everything you do and complaining that you can’t do anything right
- Shaming and demeaning you in private and in front of others
- Destroying your property
- Giving you intimidating looks
- Manipulating or forcing you to use alcohol or drugs
- Taking your money, refusing to provide you with money for necessary expenses, and controlling your finances without your permission
- Threatening to take away your pets
- Criticizing your parenting and threatening to take away your kids
- Controlling your life, including making decisions for you, like whether you can work or attend school or not
- Showing jealousy and/or acting out when you spend time with friends and family
- Preventing you from spending time with family and friends
- Threatening you with physical assault
- Assaulting you, including punching, slapping, pushing, or kicking you
- Sexually assaulting you
- Threatening to assault you with weapons, such as knives, bats, or guns
- Attacking you with a weapon
What Is a Domestic Violence Injunction?
Protecting yourself and your kids from an abusive spouse is difficult even under the best of circumstances. So, you must take advantage of any legal options available to add a layer of protection against your spouse. One legal option that can help protect you is a domestic violence injunction. A domestic violence injunction (in some cases, known as a restraining order) is a court order that requires your abusive spouse to stay away from you and, in many cases, your children.
There are two main types of domestic violence injunctions:
- Temporary Injunctions – This court order directs an alleged abusive spouse to temporarily move out (if they still share a residence with their spouse/children) and stay away from the alleged abuse victim or victims.
- Permanent Injunctions – This type of injunction can direct an alleged abusive spouse to stay away from and have no communication with their alleged victims for months or even years. Permanent injunctions may allow for supervised visitations with kids.
Speak with Our Domestic Violence & Divorce Attorneys Today
There are no easy answers when it comes to domestic violence. It’s a nightmare for victims, many of whom barely escape with their lives. No one should have to go through something like that, especially children. Unfortunately, however, it is a reality for far too many people.
At Orshan, Spann & Fernandez-Mesa, we have worked with domestic violence survivors before. We understand what it takes to secure their safety. Don’t wait to contact us. Let us help you put protections in place that will keep you and your kids safe from your abusive spouse. You still have a chance to have a bright future free of the specter of abuse. It’s what you deserve, and we will do everything within our power to help you find your way to that future as quickly and safely as possible.
To learn more about our domestic abuse and divorce lawyers, read our clients’ testimonials.
If you are facing a domestic abuse situation, get yourself and your kids to safety, get in touch with law enforcement, and call us at (305) 853-9161 or contact us online as soon as you safely can.
