Ouch! You Hit Me!

Hello, my name is Vernon L. Ellicott, and I am a domestic violence attorney. I help clients in times of personal legal crisis, like when their significant other hit them.  Today, I want to talk about domestic violence and what you can do to protect yourself.

Domestic violence is a very sensitive and difficult topic to discuss.  No one wants to admit they are a victim of domestic violence.  And no one wants to be convicted of domestic violence.

I’ve handled thousands of family law cases and one thing I’ve learned is that men and women often have different perspectives on what constitutes domestic violence. I have also found that culture makes a difference in defining it.

Domestic violence can be hard to define. Men tend to shout out of frustration and anger. Woman tend to be intimidated and frightened by men shouting in anger. We’ve all heard of mothers who could boss their NFL sized sons around no matter how old they were.

But, let’s face it, most men are bigger and stronger than most women. Shouting is sometimes enough to get a domestic violence restraining order.

Of course, actual violence will cause a judge to grant a domestic violence restraining order, too.  Hitting, shoving, pulling hair, throwing cell phones and other things, and even blocking exits are all domestic violence that will result in a domestic violence restraining order.

Another type of domestic violence is revenge porn. That happens where you share intimate photos of yourself and your ex publishes them to the world after you break up. It is possible to get a domestic violence restraining order to block the future publication of those photos and even to get the originals back.  See my blog on Revenge Porn for more information about this subject.

I will be happy to personally walk through an analysis of whether you have been a victim of domestic violence, or whether you need to defend yourself against domestic violence charges.  Call me at (805) 446-6262.