Domestic violence is a phenomenon that includes intimate partner violence, as well as violence between family members, such as parents and children, brothers and sisters etc. Investigating domestic violence can be extremely problematic, because many victims are ashamed of acknowledging their victimization and do not refer to police (Orthmann&Hess 306). This trend also prevents the government from adequate estimation of the prevalence of domestic violence.
The American Bar Association includes the Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence, aimed to enhance access to justice for the victims of sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence by mobilizing those, belonging to the legal profession. According to the official website of the ABA, the Commission on Domestic violence does not provide the victims with either lawyer referrals or legal advice. The website only provides range of useful resources for victims, such as National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline etc (ABA 1).
However, the Commission has adopted the Standards of Practice for attorneys-in-law, who are representing the interests of the victims of domestic violence in civil protection order cases. The above Standards are directed to three major aims, such as the improvement of the quality of victims’ legal representation, enabling lawyers to work in an effective, ethical and holistic manner, as well as raising awareness about the phenomenon of domestic violence. In particular, the Standards focus on increasing lawyers’ awareness about the roots of domestic violence, its dynamics and the interception with sexual assault before starting to protect the victims. In case of protecting the victims of domestic violence it is crucial to understand the role culture, age, language, disability and immigration status can play in the cases related to domestic violence (ABA1). Focusing on criminal investigation of different types of abuses (e.g., domestic violence stalking, sexual assault etc.), the course text also does not provide specific recommendations for the victims of domestic violence. Similarly to the official website of the ABA, Orthmann&Hess underline the need to increase victims awareness about the available means of legal redress in domestic violence and sexual assault cases (313). It is also underlined that the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 causes a need of victims’ taking a more active stance as regards the protection of their rights in court.
Works cited
American Bar Association. Commission on Domestic and Sexual Violence. ABA, 2015. Web.
Orthmann, C.H., Hess, K.M. Criminal investigation. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
