Violence and assaults are widely known to occur all over the United States, but domestic violence is a topic that often goes undiscussed. Even though every state in the U.S. enforces domestic violence restraining order laws, the details of a restraining order can vary depending on jurisdiction. In regards to domestic violence in particular, Wisconsin enforces The Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence to help protect those involved in abuse.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice provides a Domestic Abuse Reference Book that categorizes different types of domestic abuse charges. Wisconsin state officials point out that, unlike many violence cases, a domestic abuse victim is usually personally close with the offender. This fact complicates court hearings and procedures, in that many victims refuse to seek out prosecution. Therefore, prosecutors must attempt to form relationships with victims to best hold the offender accountabe. The following charges are among the most common in domestic abuse, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice:
- Battery
- Criminal damage to property
- Disorderly conduct
- Intimidation of witnesses
- Intimidation of victims
Domestic violence, according to the County of Milwaukee website, is a learned pattern of physical, verbal, sexual or emotional behaviors in which one person in a relationship uses force and intimidation to dominate or control the other person. The court can order an offender of domestic violence to refrain from certain actions toward a victim; however, if the offender does not adhere to such guidelines, he or she may be prosecuted. Various organizations, along with the judicial system, work to alleviate and address domestic abuse, but reports still show that 1 in 4 women is a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime.
