TYPES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Family Violence in Texas

Many states refer to violence between family and household members, spouses and dating partners as domestic violence. In Texas, domestic violence is referred to as “family violence,” which also occurs between such individuals. According to the Texas Attorney General, this crime involves acts of threats of physical harm, assault and sexual assault. Other acts of family violence include:

• Homicides
• Kidnapping
• Robbery

Contrary to popular belief, however, family violence does not only account for physical violence. Although that is a common form of domestic violence, there are non-physical ways in which the crime of family violence can be committed. They include:

Control: Maintaining superiority over your partner can involve acts such as the following.

• Closely monitoring your partner’s location through tracking apps and devices
• Listening in on your partner’s phone calls
• Requiring your partner to disclose their email, text and social media conversations
• Controlling what your partner eats, wears, travels and does
• Continuously appearing uninvited at your partner’s job

Emotional Abuse: Damaging a person’s self-esteem by exposing your partner’s insecurities and vulnerabilities. It can take the form of threats, manipulation, neglect, degradation and neglect.

• Insulting your partner to make them feel less confident
• Threatening to harm or kill your partner
• Ignoring your partner’s needs and feelings
• Embarrassing your partner in public
• Criticizing your partner’s actions and decisions
• Refusing to cooperate with your partner’s wishes and needs
• Making your partner feel like they’re crazy or unstable (also referred to as “gaslighting”

Financial Abuse: Controlling a person’s financial freedom and independence by manipulating economic resources.

• Causing your partner to lose their job
  • Taking away their keys and wallet
  • Making it difficult to get to work
  • Harassing them while they’re at work
  • Emotionally abusing them in front of their co-workers and supervisors
• Putting your partner’s bank accounts under your name
• Controlling how much your partner spends and when
• Spending excessive amounts of money allocated for necessities on non-essential items

Sexual Abuse: Forcing nonconsensual sexual acts on your partner as well as establishing control over their sexual wellbeing.

• Requiring them to take or not take birth control
• Insulting or criticizing your partner’s body and sexual preferences
• Forcing your partner to make reproductive decisions against their will
• Forcing your partner to engage in sex or sexual acts
• Emotionally abusing your partner for not wanting to engage in sexual activity
• Physically abusing your partner during sex without their consent
• Withholding sex from your partner

Accused of Domestic Violence in Fort Worth?

Many times, those accused of domestic violence do not realize they committed such a crime. Since various acts can constitute domestic violence, it can be confusing to identify whether you are crossing the line or not.

False accusations of family violence are also common, as “victims” can lie about getting abused in spite of something unfavorable you may have done, such as asking for a divorce, spending an excessive amount of time with your friends and failing to help take care of your children. As an experienced Fort Worth domestic violence defense lawyer, I know what it takes to build an aggressive defense that helps get your charges reduced or dropped altogether.

To learn more about how I can defend your family violence case, please don’t hesitate to contact the Law Office of A. Oliver Hassibi at (817) 826-9821!