Violent Crimes

Published on: March 19, 2023

How to Deal With Domestic Violence Charges as a Public Figure

Being accused of domestic violence can be highly disconcerting for anyone, but if you are a public figure, such as a professional athlete, politician, CEO, etc., being accused of domestic violence can be particularly damaging to your reputation. You will likely face negative attention from the media during the arrest and investigation process. You may even have to make difficult decisions about leaving your job or resigning from certain positions to protect your name. However, if you find yourself facing charges related to domestic violence in California, there are steps you can take to ensure that you receive fair treatment throughout the process. Let’s discuss how dealing with these charges as a public figure may look different than other people’s experience and provide strategies for navigating through it successfully.

Prioritize Your Family, Not Your Reputation

No matter how famous you are, you are a human being with a human family. Whatever has happened to prompt charges of domestic violence, it has done damage to your family–and your being a public figure may only add to that pain. That’s why, above all else, you need to address this situation as a human first and a public figure second. Prioritize your family, not your public standing. This means admitting responsibility for any wrongdoing and working towards resolving the situation in an amicable and healing way for all family members. Your family deserves understanding, respect, and the opportunity to come to terms with what happened for your relationships to move forward.

Published on: February 20, 2023

How New Proposed California Gun Legislation Could Impact Domestic Violence Defense

by Michael Kraut

In the wake of the Supreme Court and other courts recently overturning key elements of California’s restrictive gun policies—followed by a rash of mass shootings in California over the past few weeks—numerous state legislators are making gun safety a hallmark of their agenda for 2023. Many of these laws seek to replace gun laws that were overturned (with revisions), while others seek to add further restrictions and improve public safety overall.

That said, in many cases, the impacts of new gun control legislation can trickle into many different areas, including cases of domestic violence, and especially those involving firearms. Let’s take a closer look at the issue of gun control in the context of domestic violence in California to see what we can learn–and what to expect if some of these new gun bills become law.

Overview of Current Gun Laws and Domestic Violence

Published on: October 31, 2021

A Look at Domestic Violence Internationally

by Michael Kraut

While domestic violence continues to be a significant public health problem across the nation, the fact remains that the United States enjoys some of the strongest legal protections against domestic violence found anywhere on earth. With more than one billion women living in countries with no legal protections against DV, it’s evident there is still much work to be done to change mindsets and provide more protection across the globe. And yet, in recent years, the world has seen a remarkable amount of progress as more and more countries pass stricter laws and stronger penalties against domestic violence. Let’s take a snapshot of our world and look at this issue from an international perspective. Where are domestic violence protections strongest? Where are they nonexistent? How much progress is being made?

The Good News About Domestic Violence Protections Internationally

As recently as 2006, only 60 nations across the globe had passed laws prohibiting domestic violence; by 2011, the UN reported that that number had more than doubled, to 127 nations. The latest numbers show that 144 countries now have laws in place to protect domestic violence victims and punish the perpetrators. This data indicates a positive trend of new laws being passed with heightened awareness of the need to protect victims. The Washington Post reports that the continents of North America and Europe currently enjoy the strongest and most consistent legal protections available for domestic violence victims–and the United States is at or very near the top of the list. Other nations with similar laws against domestic violence include Chile, Columbia, New Zealand, South Africa, Austria, and the UK.

Published on: May 24, 2021

Biggest Domestic Violence Stories of the 2020s (So Far)

by Michael Kraut

Despite increased legal penalties, more social programs, more advocacy outlets, and efforts to increase awareness, domestic violence continues to be a significant issue in our world. In fact, one in three women across the globe (and about 1 in 10 men) suffer domestic abuse at some point in their lives—leading to fragmented families, traumatized loved ones, and lasting psychological and physical damage.

That being said, knowledge is power. By studying both the standpoint of current trends and individual occurrences, we gain more knowledge that may one day help us curb this destructive force in people’s lives and families. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the more significant news stories about domestic violence so far this decade to see what we can learn from them.

Pandemic Causes Worldwide Surge in Domestic Violence

Published on: February 25, 2021

Repairing and Rebuilding a Relationship after Domestic Violence

by Michael Kraut

You never thought it would happen to you—but it did. A disagreement with your spouse or partner got out of hand, you were arrested and charged with domestic violence. Perhaps this has happened before; maybe it’s the first time. For now, though, you’re feeling the pain of separation and alienation from someone you love. Perhaps she’s even got a restraining order against you. Regardless of what happens in court, you’re already looking beyond this moment. Once the criminal charges have been sorted out, is there any hope for repairing the relationship?

Or should you even try?

The answers here aren’t simple. Relationships are complicated enough even before they become fractured by violence. That being said, let’s talk about where to go from here. What, if anything, can be done to rebuild a relationship torn by domestic violence—and in the process, what can you do to prevent it from recurring? Let’s tackle the big questions in order—starting with the question of whether the relationship should even be repaired.

Published on: January 20, 2020

Biggest Domestic Violence Stories of the 2010s

by Michael Kraut

Domestic violence is, unfortunately, one of the most common crimes of our time. DV claims more than 30,000 lives worldwide each year, most of them women. Here in the U.S., DV arrests range in the hundreds of thousands each year, and that doesn’t account for the many other incidents that never get reported. (Some estimate there are as many as 10 million victims per year.) And while many of these stories make the headlines, the sheer numbers of them often get buried among other stories.

That said, every so often a particular story stands out to us for one reason or another. Now that the 2010s have come to a close, let’s take a look at a few of the more noteworthy domestic violence cases from the past decade to see what we can learn from them–in particular, how they can help those accused of DV understand their story in context and use this point in their lives as a positive turning point.

Russian Woman Loses Her Hands to Domestic Violence

Published on: November 17, 2019

Domestic Violence Around the World: How Other Countries Address DV

by Michael Kraut

Depending on where we get our information, research has shown that anywhere between 35 percent and 70 percent of women worldwide have been victimized by domestic or sexual violence at some point in their lives. Most laws passed against domestic violence are intended to prevent and punish these acts, but here in the U.S., where we have some of the strongest laws against DV, 20 people still become victims of domestic violence every minute.

Even so, if we look at the research done by human rights activists, we find that America is truly at or near the head of the pack as far as legal protections for women. While many still become victims, they at least have some legal recourse. Let’s examine this issue beyond our shores and look at how domestic violence is handled in other countries around the world.

Countries with No Domestic Violence Laws

Published on: October 22, 2019

Finding Resilience After a Domestic Violence Arrest

by Michael Kraut

When you have been arrested on charges of domestic violence—regardless of guilt or innocence—it can seem like time has stood still. Between the possible fracturing of your family and the lurking uncertainty of a trial, you may feel as though life itself has come to a screeching halt.

But whatever the outcome of your charges, at some point this situation will be in the past. Life will move forward, and you’ll have the opportunity to put this setback in the rearview mirror. How you choose to move forward can make all the difference between whether you recover along with your family, or whether (heaven forbid) you wind up back in this situation. To that end, we’ve curated some helpful advice from several professionals coming from a diversity of perspectives on coming back from a personal failure, difficult situation or fracturing life event. Their insights may help you find a map to becoming your best self in the days ahead.

Dr. Roopleen on Bouncing Back After Failure

Published on: March 19, 2018

Does Anger Management Work? A Look at the Science Behind It

by Michael Kraut

For many people who find themselves facing domestic violence charges, the problem doesn’t usually begin with the act of violence itself. For most, that catalyst is anger. The violence occurs as an end result of the person’s inability to control the angry emotions welling up inside.

If you’re convicted of a domestic violence charge in California, and sentenced to probation instead of jail, chances are you’ll also be required to attend a “batterer’s class” or some sort of anger management counseling as part of your sentence. But are anger management programs truly effective, and can they help reduce the chances of a repeat offense?

As with most issues, the answer to this question isn’t a clear “yes, it works” or “no, it doesn’t.” The effectiveness of any anger management course depends as much on the cooperation of the participant as it does the nature of the course itself. Modern psychology has recommended a variety of approaches to anger management; some have proven more fruitful than others, and experts now feel some traditional approaches have actually backfired.

Published on: January 15, 2018

Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence Around the World

by Michael Kraut

You’ve been charged with a domestic violence crime. You’re worried about your future, your relationships and your freedom. Will you have to go to jail? Will your significant other take you back? How can you avoid overly-harsh punishment or refute what you believe are baseless accusations against you?

While analyzing all these worries, it’s easy to feel isolated. The cultural taboo against domestic violence–especially alleged attacks on children–is profound in the United States. And understandably so. Even if you committed a “bad” act in a moment of passion or weakness, you (hopefully!) don’t wish for a more violent world. But obtaining compassion from friends and family–or even basic understanding–in the wake of DV charges can be hard.

You might find it useful to look outside of your situation and take a 20,000 foot view. How do other countries and cultures grapple with the challenges of domestic violence? What do they do (or fail to do) to protect and be sensitive to victims? What safeguards do they have in place (or not) to ensure fair treatment of the accused?