A recent study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health has found that women who were abused during their childhood are more likely to have children with autism spectrum disorders.
The study surveyed more than 50,000 women on whether or not they suffered any physical or mental abuse during their childhood. An indication of severe physical abuse, for example, would be being hit hard enough to leave a bruise. These women were also asked if their children have ever been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
The study found that women who were severely abused as children were up to 60% more likely than women who were not abused to have autistic children.
The study accounted for the normal risk of autism as well as the fact that women who were abused are more likely to exhibit the behaviors that are suspected to contribute to the development of autism. These findings are important because they indicate that child abuse can affect the next generation in addition to the children who are abused.
Domestic violence is a serious problem that affects millions of people every year. A 2005 report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) showed that of 3.5 million reported instances of family violence, 73% of the victims were female. While this statistic includes non-spousal violence, such as child abuse or violence against other family members, closer inspection shows that women were the victims of 84% of spousal abuse incidents. Yet, women often stay in these destructive relationships.
One of the reasons for this, according to Leslie Morgan Steiner, a domestic abuse survivor and National Domestic Violence Hotline board member, is that many women who end up in these kinds of situations believe their partners will eventually change the abusive behavior. At some point, many of these women realize this will not happen and begin seeking help.
However, many women whose relationships become abusive end up being afraid to break away from their partners. Getting out of these relationships can be incredibly difficult because of the constant threat of violence, especially when the abuser gets a hint that the victim might report his actions.
There are many resources for women who want to leave an abusive relationship. The Department of Health and Human Services has a resource center where abused women can seek help and shelter. Shelter is the first thing a victim of domestic abuse will need, since they may, quite literally, be running away from home to find solace from their abusive partner. Many abuse victims are unaware of the legal options available to them in response to what they’ve suffered through. Legal help with items such as restraining orders and potential divorce proceedings are crucial to an abuse victim’s continued safety after breaking away from a toxic relationship.
The process of divorce can be an extremely painful and emotionally-draining experience for any individual to have to go through. Nonetheless, people often choose to pursue divorce when their marriage has reached an end point, as continuing in an unhappy relationship can be an even more painful choice than ending it. If divorce is inevitable in your marriage, know that you never have to handle this traumatic experience alone. There will always be a divorce attorney ready to offer his or her services. Professional, compassionate and an expert in family law, you can rest assured that your divorce attorney will treat you with respect and will fight for your rights and interests with the required determination.
Some divorce cases present very challenging issues which, in order to be resolved, require experts in family law and laws on child support or property division. One such type of case involves the division of marital assets and property.
Just and rightful division of property and assets between divorcing husband and wife is essential, as this will significantly influence the future of each partner. And though this may only affect division of assets and property acquired during their life together, this can still be an extraordinarily difficult goal to achieve.
Some of those who enter into marriage draw up an agreement beforehand which states and clarifies issues regarding spousal support and division of property. These issues are specifically stipulated in premarital, marital property, and antenuptial agreements. Due to the complications of the law regarding property and its division, these agreements are prepared through the help of highly qualified lawyers. Once drawn, these agreements will help settle issues regarding who gets which asset or property.
In some cases, a number of other essential factors are considered in the allotment of assets and property during divorce. Factors like health, age, income, needs, and contribution to care or support of children are considered to determine who gets a higher percentage in the division.
Divorce is much more complicated than you may ever think. Despite this, it can be over sooner than you may expect if only you go through it with a highly qualified and experienced divorce attorney in The Woodlands. Find more information at: http://www.bbattorney.com/
Many people mistakenly believe, largely due to media hype and television shows, that the most common type of divorce is a contested divorce, in which couples battle fiercely over “who gets what” in the end. However, the fact of the matter is that about 90% of divorces in the U.S. are actually what we call uncontested divorces. In an uncontested divorce, spouses are able to agree on every aspect of their divorce settlement, and therefore settle their divorce negotiations relatively easily, with no fighting or fuss.
There are alternatives, of course, to these two primary types of divorce. Even if you and your spouse aren’t having knock-down, drag-out fights about matters like child custody or property division, you might still not agree on every aspect of the settlement terms. Therefore, some alternative to both a contested and an uncontested divorce is likely appealing. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and you can get help deciding which of these popular alternatives is right for you. Everyone is different, so finding the best divorce for your situation can make this difficult process a little easier to bear.
Understanding that you are not stuck with any one particular type of divorce is important; you have some options from which to choose. Several common alternative divorce methods include:
- Mediated Divorce
- Collaborative Divorce
- Simplified Divorce
In a mediated divorce, an objective, non-legal representative will work with both spouses and their attorneys, representing the interests of both in order to reach a settlement. In a collaborative divorce, each spouse’s divorce lawyer will represent the wants and interests of his or her own client. Finally, a simplified divorce takes place without a lawyer at all. These common alternatives might be viable options for you and your spouse, if you are having difficulty making a decision about the type of divorce that’s right for you.