One of the most upsetting aspects of living with an abusive spouse or partner is the harm that could come to your children. As much as you may want to shield your children from the very bad things your partner is doing, it is important that they are able to protect themselves when a situation escalates to violence. Therefore, you may want to instruct your children as to what to do when dangerous circumstances arise.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline suggests a number of things you can do to help your children protect themselves from harm, which include:
● Tell your children they should vacate the home when violence ensues and give them instructions on where to go.
● Instruct your children on how and when to call 911.
● Tell them that even if they want to protect you, they should never get involved in an altercation.
● Give the children a code word you will say when they need to get out of the house and tell them to keep the word secret.
While these and other suggestions made by the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help decrease the chance your children will be harmed in a domestic violence incident, the fact is it is neither healthy or safe to remain in such a dangerous environment.
But it is also not easy to escape a domestic violence situation. Doing so takes not only resolve, but help from others. A family law attorney can be a source of assistance if you are ready to break free from your present situation. The attorney can help you get a protective order issued to your spouse. The attorney can act on your behalf to demonstrate to the court that the order is vital and merited.