Becoming a witness of domestic violence and growing up in such a volatile and disturbing family environment can have a dreadful impact on the psychological development of a child. Hence, the issue of child custody in situations involving domestic violence is quite important. According to recent reports from the US Department of Justice, women of American Indian origin are subjected to domestic violence at a far higher rate than the national average.
The US Department of Justice gives great importance towards protecting the rights of children who are experiencing domestic violence. Domestic violence in this context doesn’t essentially mean a physical abuse, but also encompasses circumstances where the child is present and is getting exposed to situations of domestic violence. Such type of abuse is called ‘secondary abuse’ and does not require the child to be a witness of such violence. Parents who are experiencing domestic violence in their family are at the risk of losing the custody of their children. These children would be declared as dependants of the court and taken into protective custody of Department of Social services present in the county.
There are several means by which parents, who are being subjected to domestic violence, can prevent the loss of their child’s custody. The most important of these is to bring an end to such a violent relationship. However, coming out of such relationships is a difficult and time consuming process. But there are certain other options that parents can consider in order to prevent their children from being exposed to domestic violence. Parents can leave the child in the custody of a relative or a friend. Instead they can even appoint a caretaker or get help from a respite care center who can take good care of their children.
In these cases, it is the responsibility of the custodian to prove before the court that he can preserve and protect the child’s interests in a best way if the custody is given to him.
If you are struggling with issues related to domestic violence plus child custody you would do well to consult an attorney in your jurisdiction to help you learn where you stand legally on this matter and learn about your legal rights and options are.
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© 2007 Child Custody Coach
Child Custody Coach supplies information, written materials, online materials, and coaching services to parents in the field of child custody, namely, divorce, child custody and visitation, divorce, child custody evaluations, parenting, and all child custody related issues. Custody Match is an online consumer and family law attorney matching service to help consumers find the right family law attorney, divorce lawyer, or child custody attorney in their area.
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