PFA Lawyer Facts – Types of Abuse and Protection From Abuse Order
PFA Lawyer Facts – Types of Abuse and Protection From Abuse Order
Domestic abuse is a pattern of events and actions that involve control, threats, coercion, degradation, violent behaviour and sexual assault. In the majority of the cases, the act is done by either a current or ex-partner. The act can also be done by a family member. In more sinister cases, the perpetrator would send a threat of harm if the victim tries to get away. This is why in some cases, a victim needs a restraining or protection from abuse order. The victim is highly advised to work with a protection from abuse or PFA lawyer who can properly set down the legal groundwork to defend the victim.
The term domestic violence is created because the violence, in this case, is being done within a domestic situation where the victim and the perpetrator are in a relationship, either as a family or partner. Domestic abuse has one person who has a relationship with the victim and exhibits power and control over the other. Abuse or control can manifest in various ways. PFA lawyer facts – types of abuse and protection from abuse order.
Types of Domestic Abuse
Sexual Abuse
The term sexual abuse refers to any sexual assault and indecent behaviours. Sexual abuse cases include indecent assault, rape, and other unwanted sexual advances. The unwanted sexual behaviours are used by the offenders to have control over their victims.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is a type of abuse that is often undetected and hard to recognize. However, it can have a devastating mental health effect on victims. Someone that is emotionally abusive towards the victim can tear down his or her confidence, independence, and self-worth.
Financial Abuse
This type of abuse involves the victim’s access and use of money. If a person tries to control the access to money and all the finances of the victim, it can be considered abuse. In this case, the perpetrator will try to keep their partner or family member financially dependent on them so that they will have control over their victim.
Social Abuse
Social abuse involves a person humiliating or insulting a partner or loved one in front of other people. Other forms of social abuse include having the person controlling the victim’s whereabouts and isolates him or her from friends or family members.
Spiritual Abuse
Spiritual abuse is also a type of domestic violence. This type of abuse prevents a person from having his or her own opinions about their own beliefs, values, and religion. It also involves the perpetrator to make the victim doubt his or her spiritual beliefs. This manipulation is done to make the victim feel powerless. Someone preventing a person from practising his or her beliefs can fall under spiritual abuse.
Physical Abuse
This is the most recognized form of domestic abuse. It involves physical and bodily harm. Other cases where the victim is threatened with bodily harm also falls under physical abuse. This case involves hitting, choking, threats of bodily harm, slapping, punching, throwing objects, and many more.
Protection From Abuse Order
Even if the victim got away, there are instances where the perpetrator would chase the victim. There are times where the perpetrator would threaten infliction of harm if the victim does not return. These situations would need the help of a PFA lawyer. A PFA attorney specializes in protection from abuse cases. Specialist lawyers in these types of cases can be found in law firms such as Benari Law.
A protection from abuse order or PFA is a legal document signed by a judge that orders the abuser to stop his or her offences which could lead to serious legal repercussions. A PFA offers legal protection to both male and female victims.
How to file a PFA?
The victim can file a PFA via the Court of Common Pleas Family Division. Most of the family divisions have a certain system that allows the victim to file “pro se” where the victim can file the PFA on his or her own. However, having a specialized PFA lawyer can help the victim navigate the system.
If the judge believes that the PFA petitioner needs court protection, the judge will issue the temporary protection order even without the abuser present. If the court is closed during weekends, holidays or nights, the court can consent to emergency protection which the Magisterial District Justice grants to the petitioner.
A specialized lawyer in protection for abuse filings can help the victim in determining the right course of action. A legal adviser will also help the victim determine which charges can be filed if the abuser does not stop the attacks, as well as help in gathering a support system for the victim.
