Note: People can tell what internet sites you have visited on your computer. Be safe, and use the internet at a local library, friend’s house, or at work!

Domestic violence is not just physical violence.  It includes spoken, written, emotional, and physical abuse.  It includes hair pulling, sexual assault, breaking into the victim’s home, stealing the victim’s property, etc.  A verbal threat of physical violence or a pattern of harassing behavior is also considered domestic violence.  Domestic violence is never acceptable, and it is also known as “abuse.”

In order to constitute domestic violence, the abuser and the victim must have a close relationship (i.e. married, divorced, separated, dating or dating in the past) or be related (i.e. parent, child, etc).  Domestic violence is not only damaging to the victim, but it is destructive to children living in the home as well.

If you are in danger, ask a police officer to request an “emergency protective order.”  You can ask for this order at any time – day or night.  An emergency protective order only lasts for five court days or seven calendar days.  Thus, before the emergency protective order expires it is highly suggested to seek a longer-term restraining order by filing the papers in family court.

If you need emergency shelter, or help with a restraining order, you can contact any of these local Santa Clara County resources:

• For North County, call Support Network
  24-hour crisis hotline (800) 572-2782
• For Central County, call Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
  24-hour crisis hotline (408) 279-2962
• For East San Jose, call Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
  24-hour crisis hotline (408) 279-2962
• For South County, call the Community Solutions Women’s Shelter
  24-hour crisis hotline (408) 683-4118
  
• For help county-wide, call the Asian Women’s Home (AACI – Asian Americans for Community Involvement) Domestic Violence Program 24-hour crisis hotline (408) 975-2739
• In Fremont, call SAVE (Shelter Against Violent Environments)
  24 hour crisis hotline 510-794-6055
• For Santa Cruz, call Women’s Crisis Support 831-477-4244, both English and Spanish.

For more information on how to protect yourself, or to proceed with a divorce, please contact our family law attorneys at Lonich Patton Ehrlich Policastri.  Please remember that each individual situation is unique and results discussed in this post are not a guarantee of future results.  While this post may include legal issues, it is not legal advice.  Use of this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.