Domestic violence is a serious problem of many modern families, especially taking into consideration the fact that many victims do not report it as they are not aware of domestic violence laws. It is more important that they do not understand how these laws can help them avoid or prevent abuse directed at them or their relatives. For instance, the “cost” of domestic violence in terms of pursuing court cases, filing lawsuits, and hiring attorneys is not affordable to most victims. It is also evident that most of the legal avenues have largely failed to address such issues.
In the given readings, the authors are quite categorical that victims of domestic violence are women. As a result, most of the current legislations mainly focus on legal avenues that can protect mistreated women but ignore men. This approach often ignores male victims notwithstanding the fact that men may also experience abuses associated with domestic violence that may not really be actual physical battering.
In terms of employment and tort remedies, it is imperative to mention that the various domestic law cases presented in the readings attempt to address domestic violence victims’ advocacy, as well as employer liability. While advocating for victims’ rights is integral, there are several court cases related to domestic violence that go unreported. Worse still, poor representation of victims has also been evident, especially in cases where the prosecution side failed to gather adequate evidence before proceeding with such cases. Needless to say, the admissibility of some cases, especially where women have been physically battered or verbally assaulted, is questionable.
Finally, it is vital for family law lawyers to create more awareness on poverty and crime heighten domestic violence so that the relevant government authorities can take decisive actions in curbing the menace.