Myths Regarding Domestic Violence and Child Custody Cases
Posted on: 8 May 2018
When most people start families, they do so hoping that the spouse shares their dream of raising a financially and emotionally stable unit. However, differences occur as time goes and in extreme circumstances, relationships between spouses and kids become abusive. Sadly, the authorities are not able to intervene in some of these situations and a lot of innocent children end up suffering in silence. In case you are in a situation where you are feeling helpless over a delayed decision on custody, you need to consider getting a competent family lawyer to handle your case. Below are some of the myths people hold on custody cases, and how a competent lawyer can dispel them.
If the kid is not showing aversion, they are not being abused
There are many people who believe that all children who are abused by their parents show fear or an aversion towards them. However, the reality is that some of these kids develop a traumatic bonding with their abuser, also known as the Stockholm Syndrome. When a child is subjected to this type of abuse for a long time, they are unable to view the abusive parent as the aggressor that they are. In such cases, the poor child continues suffering under the abusive parent. However, when a competent family lawyer is involved in the proceedings, they will be able to point out and give evidence about the abnormal relationship. This will help deny unsupervised custody to this parent.
The child heals as soon as they are removed from the abuser
It is important to realise that the effects of domestic violence do not end as soon as the child is removed from the abusive environment. However, the length of time that the child is subjected to the trauma determines their healing progress. It is therefore important to ensure that any case of parental abuse is reported and separation done as soon as possible. The child will also need a lot of support during their recovery from the abusive relationship.
The non-abusive parent always gets custody
Most of the time, the non-abusive parent is either stressed or too guilty to present their case coherently. They may at times end up coming off as the liar. When they do not have the proper legal counsel, the abuser will manipulate the situation leading to custody denial.
These are some of the situations that need to be addressed by a competent family lawyer. They will make sure that you have the right evidence and that it is properly presented. Their ultimate goal is to protect your children from abuse.
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