Is family stress a factor in family violence?

Knowing the context behind family violence can lead to a better understanding and even better legal representation.

Family stress is a significant problem that may lead to people becoming frustrated or upset. While there is no excuse for domestic violence, the reality is that everyone has a breaking point. Every person has a point when they might raise their voice or become upset because of a stressful day, frustrating life event or death in the family, for example.

Stress does have a way of bringing out the worst in people, and it can be a factor in family violence as well. Domestic abuse may be as much as three times higher in situations where families are dealing with financial stress, and the anxiety of that stress may lead to the “fight or flight” response. While some people will essentially “shut down” due to the stress, others will having a “fight” response. That response might range from becoming aggressive to screaming at someone to locking down their finances and withholding money from their spouse.

Is being stressed a defense against domestic violence charges?

Stress is never a defense for lashing out against your spouse or causing them harm, but it may help explain a situation and give context. If your spouse was being verbally or financially abusive before you lost your temper and yelled at them or became aggressive, there may also be a secondary argument that they were participating in domestic violence first and you were simply responding to their actions.

What do you need to do if you’re accused of domestic abuse?

If you are accused of domestic abuse, it’s important that you are able to fight those charges. While no one wants to be yelled at or to be snapped at, moments of stress can make almost anyone lash out. It’s valid to want to fight back against any allegations of abuse so that you can protect your reputation and minimize the risk of charges or a conviction.

The right defense will help you protect your rights and fight to avoid harsh penalties that could add additional stress to your life. Times may be tough right now, but with help, you can get through this.