Princeton Domestic Abuse Attorneys
Spousal Abuse
According to the Bureau of Justice, spousal abuse is a vastly underreported crime. Approximately 50% of violent crimes against spouses never get reported to authorities. The FBI has estimated that every six minutes, a woman in the United States gets raped or sexually assaulted. Approximately 4,000 women die every year from domestic violence. One survey found that 57% of abused victims never discussed their incident with anyone. Bureau of Justice Statistics suggest that physical violence occurs in as many as 60 million intimate relationships every year in the US.
But while resources abound for victims, those who stand accused of crimes such as hurting their spouses or threatening to hurt them may find a less than compassionate audience, even among intimates and family members. This is tragic, in that many defendants stand falsely accused; and even people who do commit these crimes often do not get the help and advice they need to rehabilitate themselves, restore their relationships with family members, and ensure that longstanding patterns of abuse, neglect, and violence finally end.
Consequences of Conviction
Even instances of minor abuse (where you give your spouse a bruise on the arm, for instance) or simply threatening abuse (e.g. telling your wife that you are going to hit her) can be charged as misdemeanor crimes and can result in your imprisonment for up to six months. In cases of extreme abuse or assault – such as marital rape, serious injury, or homicide – you could face many years in prison or potentially even life imprisonment or capital punishment.
Factors that will influence the charges that prosecutors will seek against you will include: whether you actually hurt your spouse or merely attempted to; whether the incident constituted a pattern of abuse or not; whether you have a prior criminal record; whether you demonstrate remorse and a desire to engage in therapy and restitution to the victim; and the extent and nature of the evidence prosecutors have against you.
Note that the decision to charge is not the victim's. Domestic violence victims often recant allegations under pressure from abusive spouses, so the system is set up to protect them against being blackmailed or otherwise held hostage by their abusive spouses. What this means is that once the police are called, whether or not someone is going to jail is under the discretion of the officers that arrive on the scene; the decision to charge anyone with a crime is then entirely in the prosecutor's hands. Even if the accusations are recanted, the prosecutor has ultimate control over the situation.
Developing Your Strategy
Whether you have been hit with charges of battering your spouse in public in New Jersey; or an ex-spouse has made up false allegations of spousal abuse to win custody of your children, a knowledgeable and skilled Princeton spousal abuse defense attorney can assist you. Look to the firm of Lependorf & Silverstein to get solid advice about how to build your defense. Call 609-240-0040 right now to schedule your free and completely confidential consultation with Lependorf & Silverstein.