Am I a victim of family violence?
Physical abuse, verbal abuse, mental abuse, financial abuse, and abuse in front of your child all can amount to family violence. If you or your children are in danger, call 911.
There are many resources available to victims of family violence, and many of them are listed on resource hubs such as Legal Aid BC.
If you have been subjected to family violence and you want to know your legal rights with respect to separation and divorce, make an appointment with a lawyer who specializes in family law. Amongst other things, a family lawyer can help you obtain a protection order against your former partner in case of family violence.
A protection order can 1) limit direct contact between your former partner and you 2) restrain your former partner from attending your place of residence, work, or another place you frequent 3) restrain your former partner from following you. Protection orders and legislation give RCMP officers powers to remove your former spouse from the prohibited spaces as well as take other actions allowed by law to keep you and your children safe.
You should consider consulting a family law lawyer if you answer “yes”to any of the following questions:
- Has your partner ever hit you?
- Has your partner ever hit your child(ren)?
- Has your partner screamed or yelled at you or your child(ren)?
- Did your child(ren) ever see your partner hit you or yell at you?
When getting ready foryour consultation, please make sure you are ready to answer the following
questions:
- How long/frequent has the abuse been going on?
- What is the most recent time he/she has hit you and your child(ren)?
- Are you fearful for your and your child(ren)'s safety?
- What is the current interaction of your child(ren) with your partner?
- What was the circumstance when you separated (provide details such as call 911; involved social worker),
- When was the last time you had contacted with your partner?
Want to know more? Contact one of our family lawyers for a consultation.