Domestic Violence, Court, and You

Domestic violence comes in various shapes and sizes. Mandatory arrest laws and a “no drop” prosecution policy were made to protect victims of domestic violence not to destroy families. Unfortunately, with these policies in place the courts have decided who does and who does not stay together leaving the victim still in a controlled situation. So many families are involved in domestic violence that court interference is inevitable but when does one lose the right to decide who they belong with and who they do not?
      In 2001, there was a case of domestic violence (The Winters) that resulted in the wife going to the emergency room and the husband to jail. It started as a petty argument and escalated out of control. The children were in the living room and their parents were in the bedroom arguing and when the oldest daughter walked in she saw her mother turn around and her father shove his foot into her mothers back. That kick sent her mother across the room in which she hit her head on the wooden bunk beds. It split her head wide open; everyone including the father was terrified.
      The father immediately gathered the mother and children and put them in the car and drove to the emergency room. The mother who was conscious the entire time told the doctor they had an argument and it escalated to this, the doctor called the police. The couple, married for eight years, told police this was the first time anything like this had ever happened. They both agreed it was foolish and never should have come to this but the police arrested Mr. Winters. He was charged with a misdemeanor and spent the night in jail. Mrs. Winters received several stitches in her head and returned home.
      A few months later, the couple (The Winters) were out in the backyard and they started to argue. The neighbor heard them and called the police. When the police arrived at their home, the couple tried to explain they had an argument but all was fine. The police arrested him because of...