A topic that has been on my mind recently is domestic violence. I have had many clients over the past year and a half that have been victims of domestic violence and I know that it is a vicious cycle that is difficult to escape. In fact, I began working on civil protection order cases because I saw that there was a need for competent attorneys in this area. Many attorneys will not work on civil protection order cases and that is unfortunate because there is definitely a need for competent attorneys in this area.
It is easy for an outsider to tell a victim of domestic violence to just leave but it is often much more complicated than that. The person giving the advice is not in the victim’s shoes and more often than not, the perpetrator has spent years positioning him/herself and the victim in such a way that makes it almost impossible for the victim to “just leave.”
I do not recommend that victims of domestic violence “just leave.” I recommend that victims of domestic violence prepare a comprehensive plan for removing him/herself from the situation so that the victim can begin a new life without the violence and learn a new way of living so that the violence does not repeat itself. I recommend that victims leave with a strategy and the resources to help them be successful. If not, they will not only find themselves in the same or a similar situation in the future, but they could put themselves in more danger by attempting to leave in the first place.
One great resource in Ohio for domestic violence victims is the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. They are available by telephone: (614) 781-9651 and internet: ODVN.org. The ODVN is a nonprofit organization and the domestic violence advocate will work with the victim to create a plan for leaving. The advocate will work with the victim through every step of the process of leaving. ODVN has many great resources for helping the victim succeed after leaving as well.
One of the best aspects about ODVN is that they have federal funding to help victims get access to legal services that they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise. ODVN pays attorneys that have been trained through the non profit to help victims get civil protection orders, obtain divorces, keep custody of their children, defend them in criminal cases when the criminal charge was a result of a domestic violence incident and many other services that victims may need.
I am an attorney that has gone through the ODVN training and I am currently accepting cases through ODVN. If you or someone you know needs their services, please contact ODVN because they can help.
