Domestic Violence in the Digital Age: Understanding Technology-Facilitated Abuse

technology-facilitated abuse

What to Do If You Suspect Technology-Facilitated Abuse

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is a time to recognize the devastating impact domestic violence has on individuals and families – and to remind survivors that help is available. But domestic violence does not always happen behind a closed door.

Increasingly, technology has become another tool used to intimidate, monitor, threaten, isolate, and control a partner. This behavior, known as technology-facilitated abuse, can involve phones, social media, GPS trackers, and connected devices. It is an emerging concern in domestic violence and deserves much more attention.

The Numbers Are Difficult to Ignore:

Domestic violence remains an enormous problem in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, more than 1 in 3 women (34%) – nearly 43.5 million women – have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.… View Full Article → “Domestic Violence in the Digital Age: Understanding Technology-Facilitated Abuse”

Keeping Families Safe: Understanding Ohio’s Proposed Repeat Domestic Violence Registry

Ohio domestic violence registry

House Bill 846: What Is Ohio’s Proposed Domestic Violence Registry?

In Ohio’s proposed domestic violence registry is drawing statewide attention as lawmakers consider House Bill 846, legislation that would create a public registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. Designed to improve public safety and help protect survivors, the proposal would establish a statewide database similar in concept to Ohio’s existing sex offender registry. Aimed at protecting survivors and preventing future tragedies, House Bill 846 proposes the creation of a statewide registry for repeat domestic violence offenders—a system that would operate similarly to the existing sex offender registry.

The proposed Ohio domestic violence registry would operate similarly to the state’s existing sex offender registry. The bill, spearheaded by a bipartisan group of lawmakers including Representatives Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) and Crystal Lett (D-Columbus), seeks to provide the public and law enforcement with a vital tool to identify individuals with a history of domestic violence.… View Full Article → “Keeping Families Safe: Understanding Ohio’s Proposed Repeat Domestic Violence Registry”

Children Services In Dayton, Ohio: Haines Children’s Center

Learning More About the Children Services Division
of the Department of Job And Family Services of Montgomery County, Ohio

On Thursday, October 18, 2012, I had the opportunity to visit the Haines Children’s Center located at 3304 North Main Street, Dayton, Ohio, to meet with Ann Stevens, Public Information Coordinator of the Montgomery County Department of Job and Family Services, and Geraldine Pegues, Assistant Director of the Children Services Division. My mission was to learn more about the agency and the services it provides to the community so that I could complete a Family Blog Article for publication on the Ohio Family Law Blog.

The Haines Children’s Center, completed in 2001 and named in honor and memory of now-deceased Sheriff Gary Haines, is located on the grounds of the former Shawen Acres, the site of ten (10) cottages which was one of the first children’s homes in Ohio. The cottages, built in 1926/1927, are now being razed with plans to have some green space and park services available for the North Main Street Community.… View Full Article → “Children Services In Dayton, Ohio: Haines Children’s Center”

Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home

Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home

A recent study identifies the nation’s most dangerous traffic intersection. It’s at Flamingo Road and Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The insurance company’s engineer who compiled the report notes that the intersection meets appropriate design standards and is regulated by traffic lights. He said traffic volume and driver error were two important factors in the high number of crashes.

Child Abuse and the Dangerous Child Protective Services Intersection

One of the most dangerous intersections of every state’s child welfare system is the decision whether to remove or leave non-abused siblings in a home in which another sibling has been a victim of child abuse or neglect.  Like the dangerous intersection in Pembroke Pines, CPS workers often face high caseloads (“traffic volume”) and constant life-threatening decisions (the possibility of “driver error”).

A Pennsylvania case involved “an appeal from the determination of dependency where the adoptive father committed sexual child abuse upon one of the children.… View Full Article → “Child Abuse: Non-Abused Siblings Who Remain at Home”

The Uncooperative Co-Parent From a Therapist’s Perspective

Co-parent issues in Divorce, Custody and Child Custody.

Important tips for when a co-parent becomes uncooperative

This is the first of two back-to-back articles on this subject.  The second one from the viewpoint of Dayton, Ohio, divorce lawyer Robert “Chip” Mues, will be posted here on Saturday March 3, 2012.

When you are going through a divorce, keeping your children’s well-being in the forefront of your mind is critical. Whether the children ultimately have an experience that is traumatic or manageable is a direct result of how well their parents’ behave. Some parents even stay together “for the sake of their children” but their behavior is so appalling that the kids beg their parents to split up. Whether you stay together or not, your children learn from and emulate your behavior. You are role models for healthy relationships.

Your commitment to protect your children from divorce acrimony is tested when you find yourself in the throes of splitting property and assets.… View Full Article → “The Uncooperative Co-Parent From a Therapist’s Perspective”

Parenting Time Suspension for Bad Behavior

Parenting Time Suspension can occur when a parent’s bad behavior gets in the way of the child’s best interest.

“Children must be considered in a divorce, considered valuable pawns in the nasty legal and financial contest that is about to ensue.” – P.J. O’Rourke

The truthfulness of O’Rourke’s statement cannot be more evident. Children going through a divorce are often caught in the middle of two parents at war. They can be fighting about money, parenting time, adultery committed, or even about why the toilet seat was once again left up. Although this fighting in and of itself can be a traumatic time for a child caught in the middle, the worst of the fighting results when a parent uses his or her children to hurt the other parent.

In a case in Montgomery County, Ohio, recently affirmed by the Second District Court of Appeals, the Court decided that it was time to show parents that bad behavior can result in a suspension of parenting time.… View Full Article → “Parenting Time Suspension for Bad Behavior”

Would You Recognize This as Abusive Behavior?

When we hear “abusive behavior” we often think of physical violence. Abusive behavior is not always physical. Even though there may be no visible wounds, abusive behavior can be very damaging to the individual, the relationship and the family. Consider if these abusive behaviors are present in your own relationship.

  • Criticizing you, your friends, family, job, or anyone or anything important to you. 
  • Blaming you for everything.
  • Making fun of you in front of other people. This includes remarks about your looks, family, job, or sex.
  • Demanding that you account for all your time.
  • Listening in on your phone conversations.
  • Reading your mail or e-mail.
  • Isolating you from your friends and family.
  • Yelling, throwing things, slamming the counter, slamming doors, punching walls.
  • Using sarcasm.
  • Ordering you about.
  • Controlling or limiting your access to money.
  • Discussing you behind your back.
  • Demanding s/he have everything done her/his way.
  • Controlling what you wear.
  • Forcing you to have sex or to do sexual things you are not comfortable doing.
… View Full Article → “Would You Recognize This as Abusive Behavior?”
Page 1 of 3
1 2 3