Domestic violence is one of the worst crimes in Las Vegas and the entirety of Nevada. So grave that the State was hailed as the second worst state for domestic violence in the country. To curb this, the government and the citizens of Nevada are hand-in-hand to propagate prevention and tighter laws against the offense. One particular reason for this is because the usual victims of domestic violence are particular people that need more protection. If you are charged with domestic battery that you allegedly committed against some of the most common victims of domestic violence, expect those harsh penalties will be imposed on you. The only way to avoid this is by learning more about the most common victims of the offense so you can create better defenses for yourself.
Characteristics of the common victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence does not discriminate: it can affect any type of relationship and enthuses anyone regardless of their age, gender, or ethnicity. Still, the characteristics of someone being abused are, for the most part, the same regardless of what classification they find themselves in.
Some of the glaring signs that a person is experiencing domestic violence are:
• Physical evidence such as injuries or marks in the body
• The person suddenly turned recluse and wanting to be left alone
• The person is afraid of a specific family member
• Depression and loss of interest in daily activities
• Starting to become alcoholic and/or drug dependent
This is only the general characteristics you can find in a victim of domestic violence. There are other signs that one can overlook, especially when the victim is determined to hide any potential shreds of evidence that could point to the maltreatment.
Spouses and partners
One of the most common victims of domestic violence is a romantic partner. A domestic battery usually happens between spouses or partners who are fighting because of money, because of their children, or because of alcohol and drugs. In Nevada and the rest of the country, it is the wife or the female partner that is always at the receiving end of the abuse.
On average, 75% of domestic violence cases involve violence towards women with perpetrators usually men. In 2017, Nevada is declared as the most dangerous state for women, particularly wives, as many of them are killed during a domestic violence struggle such as a domestic battery by strangulation. While the media depicts women as the primary sufferers of domestic violence, men such as husbands can be domestic violence victims too. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 4% of men in the United States have been injured during intimate partner violence. While few in numbers, domestic violence happens to them and should not be something to ignore.
Elderly
The elders are also common victims of domestic violence. Since they are considerably weaker physically and mentally, elders are easy targets of domestic violence perpetrators. According to a report by the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division, at least 1,275 elders were abused since 2016. This information is released in 2017 and for all we know, it already had escalated.
Aside from hitting them or depriving them of their needs, another deadly form of elderly domestic violence is financial abuse. This is when the abusers exploit the elderly’s weakness to take the money they own.
Children
In 2018, there were 35,451 referrals of abuse against children in Nevada with most of them possibly originating in a domestic setting. Even if they are not the prime subjects of domestic violence, the effects of domestic violence can be astounding to children. Short-term effects include children being anxious about everything, refusal to perform usual tasks, and going through tantrums while long-term effects can be poor self-esteem, health problems, and even the risk of being abusers themselves.
Defenses against domestic violence accusations by certain victims
Being accused of abusing your loved ones, especially by your spouse, parent, or child is disheartening especially if there is no truth in the accusation and you are unlawfully arrested. To prove your innocence in a domestic violence case, you need to have defenses that you can prepare with your domestic violence lawyer. Even so, here are a few of the defenses you can use depending on the family member that is accusing you.
• Spouse or partner – They are actually the violence perpetrator themselves and you were only defending yourself and other people in the house
• Elderly – Due to old age, they thought you have been abusing them or they have been fabricating stories and using their age to press you with accusations
• Child – The child is unusually violent himself or herself and you were only trying to restrain him or her, which resulted in injury. Or, other people are actually abusing your child.
Despite the statistics, anyone can be a victim of domestic violence and victims who are in the minority should not be treated less than those in the majority. If you are a domestic violence victim, know that the law will not be lenient to your abuser. Now, if you are the alleged domestic violence offender and you believe you are guiltless, it is best to challenge the charges with the help of a Las Vegas criminal defense lawyer.