Domestic assault is abuse that occurs between the partners in a romantic relationship. This includes marriage spouses, common-law partners, dating partners, co-parents, and ex-lovers. The term may also apply to abuse that occurs in the relationship between a parent (or legal guardian) and their child (or ward).
The law frowns upon this act and courts often harshly punish it. Domestic assault penalties vary from case to case because the circumstances are usually different. In addition to legal punishments, society does not take kindly to people charged with assault.
Domestic assault is a felony and while anybody charged with it is innocent until proven guilty, their reputation will be damaged immensely before the case gets adjudicated at trial. Anyone charged with it and genuinely believes they are not guilty should hire the best attorney they can afford to fight the charge.
Allegations and charges of domestic assault can make a person lose their job, become ineligible for future job offers, lose their friends, have social stigma, and suffer financial difficulties. These consequences are often warranted for people with a verifiable history of assault because of the severity of their actions.
These societal consequences encourage domestic assault victims to speak up and seek legal representation because they believe their abuser will face justice and lose in the court of public opinion. This is helpful because some victims hesitate to seek help out of fear that they will be chastised and blamed for their abuse, or their abuser will get off easy.
Unfortunately, some people recognize these harsh consequences and might level false allegations against their partner or distort the facts when they publicly speak out about the abuse they may have faced. This was evident in the high-profile dispute between Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
Ms. Heard accused Mr. Depp of domestic assault, and he lost movie gigs including his prominent role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the multibillion-dollar Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as a result. He lost these roles without being criminally charged because of those allegations. Mr. Depp ultimately had to clear his name in the court of public opinion by filing a defamation lawsuit against Ms. Heard, which he won in 2022.
Nevertheless, people who bring forth claims of domestic assault deserve to be heard and society is right to defend said victims from their abuser, especially if there is evidence of the assault. However, people accused or charged with domestic assault also have a right to defend themselves in court. The law guarantees everyone a right to a fair hearing and due process regardless of how heinous their crimes are.
Endnote
Domestic assault is a serious offense that should not be tolerated. Victims of assault should gather as much evidence as they can and report their abuser to law enforcement. If they are terrified and confused about what to do, they should consider speaking to a friend ready to listen and help them. No victim of domestic assault should suffer in silence and society should do all it can to deter people from assaulting others.
