The legacy of family violence reaches far and wide, and through the generations. One Florida social worker even believes that domestic violence has reached epidemic proportions, and so supports a new federal bill that would prevent a domestic abuser’s access to guns. The social worker shares domestic violence facts and education in a recent news article.
The bill currently being reviewed in Congress is known as HR 2670, the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act. This bill would prevent domestic abusers from possessing or receiving firearms, and therefore offer greater protection to victims of domestic violence. By reducing the harms of family violence, the law would not only help the victims and their families, but also reduce strains on the health care system, the criminal justice system, businesses and friends of the victim and the abuser.
Unfortunately, sons of violent fathers are 1,000 times more likely to abuse their partners. In Florida, issues of substance abuse and medically diagnosed mental health disorders were found in up to 72 percent of cases of domestic violence. Most murder/suicides and domestic homicides involve a gun, so the bill aims to take guns out of the hands of those who might cause harm to innocent people.
Domestic violence can certainly leave physical and mental scars on the victim and on another whole generation of people. A person experiencing domestic violence in their home may feel that divorce is a good option for their own protection and the protection of any children. A skilled family law attorney can offer guidance to those seeking information on how to proceed for their domestic violence case.
Source: gainesville.com, “John Jones: Address epidemic of domestic violence“, John Jones, July 26, 2017