Domestic Violence Summary

Working with victims of domestic violence can be an extremely rewarding and fulfilling endeavor. One of the most crucial aspects for a paralegal working with victim of domestic violence is adequately engaging in the task of educating oneself to understand the commonalities of such victims and the ordeals that they have been through. Such clients are drastically different from other individuals who have suffered other physical and violent crimes. Understanding the background of someone who has lived through domestic violence is absolutely central to being able to provide adequate and sensitive legal care. Most victims of domestic violence are women (95%) though domestic violence can have an impact on ever age, class, race, ethnic, cultural or religious group (purplerainfoundation, 2012). "In the United States, nearly one in three adult women experience at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood (American Psychological Association, Presidential Task Force on Violence and the Family 1996 Report)" (purplerainfoundation, 2012). These women are often terrified of their partner's temper, apologize when they are abused and often in the most extremely controlling and isolated environment where the abusive partner will control who the partner sees and where the partner goes outside of the home, jealous of outside relationships (purplerainfoundation, 2012). In these abusive relationships the women are hit,

The federal government passed two laws related to domestic violence against women, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program (FVPSA) and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Congress, first passed the FVPSA in 1984 to address domestic violence. Federal funding is provided and allocated to support domestic violence shelters and services for survivors, to include a national domestic violence hotline, and domestic violence prevention activities (Fernanders-Alcantara, 2017). Funding allocated for FVPSA was a little over $164 million in FY2017. Shelters, support services, and programs support received approximately $150 million. The National Domestic Violence Hotline received approximately $8.2 million. A program called Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Allies, that supports selected communities to prevent domestic violence, received an average of $5.4 million (Fernanders-Alcantara, 2017).

Leo is a 14-year-old Hispanic/African American male. Leo has witnessed Intimate Partner Violence between his parents and illegal Substance Use. His biological mother is Schizophrenic and has been a child of the system herself. She was taken out of the home and grew up in foster care. His father witnessed domestic violence in the home and has been a part of the probation system. Leo has three siblings, one of which lives with him. His mother has a one year old that still lives with her.

There were several criminal domestic violence cases held in Rockville District Court of Maryland (courtroom 411) on October 21th, 2016 with Judge Zuberi B. Williams. Defendant Lainez-Gorosito, Bryant S was charged second degree of assault that he beat his girlfriend in Gaithersburg by the State (case number: 0D00350791). The case was postponed to December 23th, 2016 as continuous trial. Cross-claim of defendant Malonely, Jenny N was charged second degree of assault to her husband Chaudhary, Arjun by the State (case number 6D00357454). She was not guilty to the charge and the case was closed by judgment of acquittal with spouse invoked marital privilege after oath. Defendant Chaudhary, Arjun was charged second degree of assault to his wife Malonely,

I believed that confidentiality could not be broken under any circumstances and that the only stakeholder would have been the client. Taking the act Utilitarian perspective, a helping professional needs to ask herself/himself whether that particular circumstance will result in the greatest happiness. Keeping this in mind, the therapist considers the potential consequence of each scenario. Thus, breaking confidentiality and reporting to the law enforcement is sometimes the best action to take as it would strop harm experienced by the client or others involved. In fact, maintaining confidentiality is not always an ethical decision. The therapist needs to consider the scenario that would bring the greatest good. Confidentiality might not always be the most important aspect, especially when treating a minor who is abused and/or neglected. This is when the notion of Consequentialism comes in handy, the good is determined by the consequences of the act. I believe this in particular is a very important ethical aspect that going forward with my studies, and eventually professional practice, will be especially

There are many different types of domestic violence. Physical abuse is the most obvious form, but this is not to say that outsiders always recognize it. Generally, physical violence causes bodily harm, using a variety of methods. Slapping, pushing, throwing, hitting, punching, and strangling are only a few methods. An object or weapon may or may not be used. There is not always physical evidence of physical abuse such as bruising, bleeding, scratches, bumps, etc., therefore, absence of physical marks does not necessarily mean physical abuse had not occurred. Physical abuse sometimes escalates to murder (Morris and Biehl 7, Haley 14-17).

A police officer pulls over a vehicle that is going 8 mph over the speed limit. When the officer arrives at the drivers window, the man driving tells the officer that his pregnant wife (who is in the passengers seat) is in labor and that they are on their way to the hospital. The officer quickly allows them to go with a warning. In this scenario, the officer used his discretion for a relatively minor violation.

violence situations. Then help victims to leave their abusers safely and provide a support for survivors.

Kimora’s mother shared, “Kimora asked me for a lighter and I said no, so she doesn’t have a way to light stuff on fire.”

According to statistics found by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Every nine seconds a woman is abused by her husband or intimate partner. At least 1 in every 4 women and 1 in every 9 men have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. Most often the abuser is one of their own family. Domestic violence is a problem that somehow affects every one of us in this room at some time and is actually the leading cause of injury to women -- more than car accidents, muggings and rapes combined.

I think it is better to know the clients and have enough information regarding the career and jobs they have been doing in their life. it is important to explore the client self –image especially if they suffer from physical and emotional abuse for years and see how this affect their career path. In addition, exploring their psychological affect like depression, trauma, and other disorders regarding their abuse. The counselor cannot ignore the social pressure for women, whether they are moms or not, who suffer form abuse and struggle to speak up. A good numbers of my population do not speak English and when

DSS received a report of physical neglect and threat of harm physical abuse on July 23, 2016. Sargent Adrian Patton and Officer Brandy Edwards responded to a child found at Cedar Springs Rd. and Union St. Spartanburg, SC. The was identified as Treshawn Talley (10) was found at the Bronco’s restaurant by two restaurant goers. It is noted that Treshawn was viewed waving his hands and crying, and he stated he was lost and needed a ride home, so law enforcement was called. Once officer Edwards arrived Treshawn stated that he had walked to a friend’s house to play video games and once he left he was trying to walk back home, but he got lost. Treshawn alleged physical abuse by his father Anthony Harris, stating, “my dad beats me”, he further states

Ellie and I lay in our beds, neither one of us knew what to say. In the other room, our host parents were arguing. We didn’t know what about, but we knew it was serious. Then we heard a “THWACK” followed by silence. Ellie and I sat up in our beds and looked at each other, I could tell she was as scared as I was. “Was that? Did he just?” she asked me. Then the arguing started back up again. We calmed back down until we heard it again. “THWACK” We knew then, the noise we heard, was him beating her. We got up, our hearts racing; neither of us knew what to do. We got our nerves together to go get help. When we opened the door to our room we saw the children sitting on the couch crying out for their mother. I could see the fear in their face and I knew something needed to change.

CM Gilmore spoke with Buffy Burken regarding the family of Tonya Waller. Buffy reported the following information:

DZC is a Howard County Resident, she has three daughters in Honduras for whom she provides financially. Her older daughter was a victim of domestic violence, she had to flee the country because the last time he beat her he almost killed her. She never told her mother that she was coming to the USA with her granddaughter, once she was in Texas she called her to let her know what had happened and that to ask for money to come to this area to live with her.