Family gatherings during the holidays are not just a source of joy, Christmas gifts, smiles, laughter, and pleasant memories, but also domestic violence.
Statistics show that reports of domestic violence soar during the holidays due to several factors. Our Westlake Village domestic violence attorneys can attest to domestic violence spikes during the holiday season.
From mid-December through early January, our family lawyers’ phones are ringing off the hook with not only child custody complaints – when parents can’t agree on a viable parenting visitation schedule for the holidays – but also complaints of domestic violence.
Here at the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi, we explain why it makes sense that domestic violence is more likely during the holidays than at other times of the year.
Our best domestic violence attorneys in Westlake Village name several reasons why people are more likely to be abused by a spouse, parent or other family member or relative during the holidays:
Alcohol consumption (drinking a little too much leads to poor decisions and makes some people violent and uncontrollable);
Financial strain (expensive gift giving, traveling expenses, costly food to serve at the Christmas table, etc.);
Long weekends (proximity to potential abusers, and therefore, the higher chance of being abused);
Breakup/divorce hotspot (statistics shows that the number of divorces in the U.S. skyrockets during the holiday season, with people wanting to start a new life on January 1; the end of an abusive relationship is more likely to result in domestic violence).
A 2005 study on domestic violence found that incidents of domestic violence were 2.7 times more likely on Christmas and New Year’s Eve than any other day of the year.
Five years later, another study confirmed that domestic violence related calls to the police in large U.S. cities soared during some holidays, including New Year’s Eve.
Our domestic violence attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi note that the spike in incidents of domestic violence across the U.S. can be compared to early September, when many families face financial struggles to buy a school uniform and other things for their children to be equipped for school.
Similarly, many people want to buy gifts for their children during the holidays, but such attempts can be met with violence and abuse on the part of their spouse or other family members.
Not to mention that stress levels are running high during the holiday season, our Westlake Village domestic violence lawyers say. That contributes to the rise of incidents of domestic violence on Christmas and New Year.
While our domestic violence attorneys advise people in abusive relationships to get out of the relationship, and, when possible, take legal action against abusers, there’s a way to minimize the risk of getting abused during the holidays.
In order to prevent financial struggles during the holidays, it’s recommended to budget your spending in advance. Develop your holiday budget and plan to spend less.
Buy gifts that wouldn’t exhaust your budget’s resources. And be realistic about your holiday expectations. Sometimes it’s better to take a step back instead of jumping over your head.
Aside from not overspending during the holidays, you may want to have a backup plan in case of domestic violence. Domestic violence should never be tolerated, no matter what your circumstances are.
If you’re in an abusive relationship and you fear for your safety this holiday season, when the risk of domestic violence rises across the U.S., have a safety kit hidden in a safe place at home.
In the safety kit, you should have the following: emergency numbers, including a domestic violence attorney’s phone number, important documents (ID, driver’s license, etc.), medication, clothing, and, of course, cash.
In case of emergency – or when you see that tensions begin going through the roof at home – it’s highly advised to take the safety kit and run away from home. Then, give our skilled domestic violence attorneys a call.
We will make sure that you’re in a safe place while we conduct an investigation into your claims to collect enough evidence in order to start legal action against the abuser. Let’s fight for your life together.
You deserve much better. Call the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi in Westlake Village at 805-379-4550 or complete our contact form to get a case evaluation.
