Tennessee domestic violence incidents off to fast start in 2015

If the recently-concluded holiday season was a time for peace and goodwill, it seems that the spirit of the season has had a limited shelf life as the month of January draws toward a close.

According to the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, of the three-dozen crimes reported in the county in a one-week period this month, almost half involved accusations of domestic violence, making this crime-category easily the number one cause of police service calls.

The news account of the county’s problems does not go into the specifics of the domestic violence allegations, nor does it purport to address the statistics statewide to determine if the problem of prevalent domestic abuse exists in counties other than Rutherford. Such statistics would beg the question, though, of whether any proffered explanation would make sense of an environment in which one family member uses violence against another to the point where law enforcement intervention becomes necessary.

If you should find yourself in an abusive situation involving another family member, you should keep in mind that calling the police is only one of the options available to you. Domestic violence is, indeed, a crime in Tennessee. The law offers both criminal and civil remedies to anyone being abused ranging from pressing criminal charges and obtaining protective orders to legal separation or divorce if need be.

No one should have to endure domestic violence or abuse. If calling the police does not result in a long-term solution to the problem of an abusive spouse or partner, an attorney experienced in domestic relations matters might help to identify other possible courses of action and remedies and assistance in implementing them as well.

Source: Daily News Journal, “Domestic violence remains No. 1 crime in county,” Michelle Willard, Jan. 15, 2015