Your intimate partner may accuse you of domestic violence. Due to the severity of this charge, you can potentially face severe consequences. Thus, it will help to obtain more information about your case and determine the best ways to defend yourself sooner.
The following are three mistakes to avoid:
Contacting the accuser
Confronting someone who accused you of something may seem like the right thing to do. However, this may not be the best option with domestic violence allegations. The accuser can use anything you say to strengthen the case against you.
Besides, the confrontation may get out of control. And the prosecution can use your actions to corroborate the accuser’s claims.
On the other hand, you should not respond to calls, texts or visits from the accuser. It’s not uncommon for accusers to initiate contact. Although it feels “right” to talk to them since they approached you, they can still use your conversations to incriminate you.
Violating protective orders
If the court grants the accuser a protective order against you, it will help to respect it. Avoid violating it by contacting them or using a third party to do so. Note that an accuser may contact you to trick you into violating a protective order.
Ignoring the accusation
When you are accused of domestic violence, you should take the case seriously. Ignoring it, hoping it will go away or the accuser will drop it, can work against you.
A domestic violence accusation in itself can hurt your relationships and reputation. Additionally, you could face severe penalties. Thus, when you learn about the allegation, it will help to get legal guidance sooner.
If you are accused of domestic violence, you should obtain adequate information about your case to defend yourself.