Domestic Violence is on the Rise: Here's what you need to know.

COVID-19 has resulted in many challenges to families and households across the globe. While our communities struggle to manage health risks, shut downs, and unemployment, there is another part of of this epidemic that is quietly affecting victims behind closed doors.

According to local authorities and victim support organizations, Domestic Violence in Montgomery County is on the rise. Risk factors for domestic violence including isolation, financial strain, and heightened stress are at an all-time high. Meanwhile, victims of domestic violence are at a greater danger due to the lack of community connection resulting from the recent shutdowns.

Although the Court systems are also struggling to adapt to operating in COVID times, there remains unrestricted access to Domestic Violence Protection Orders. In order to obtain a protection order, you will need to complete a petition in person at the Montgomery County Domestic Relations Court. The petition will be heard immediately by a magistrate, and if it establishes a risk of harm, you may be granted that protection order on an emergency basis. That temporary protection order will remain in place until a hearing is conducted. A Domestic Violence Protection order could be granted for up to five years if the testimony at the hearing meets the legal standard for the protection order.

In the short term and long term, a Domestic Violence Protection Order could restrict an abuser’s access to a victim and grant the victim exclusive rights to a shared home.

If you are unsure of whether or not you would be eligible for a protection order, ask yourself:

• Have I been physically restrained or harmed by my abuser?

• Have I been threatened with physical harm, even if I’ve never been physically touched?

• Have I witnessed my abuser try to physically intimidate me? Destroy my property? Limit my access to the outside world?

• Do I genuinely fear that my abuser will harm me, even if that hasn’t physically happened yet?

• Are my children at risk?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, it is likely that you would meet the criteria for a Domestic Violence Protection Order. In order to qualify, the subject of the order must be a family or household member, or someone with whom you are in a dating relationship.

Now more than ever, home should be a safe space. If yours is not, please contact this office to discuss the best course of action. All information provided is strictly confidential.

*The foregoing is for general information purposes and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship in any matter, nor does it constitute legal advice pertaining to any specific case.