How to Legally Prevent Child Abuse Child Abuse Prevention

Perpetrators of domestic violence often commit acts of child maltreatment or physical abuse, causing lasting emotional harm to the affected children. Children who are exposed to violence in their households are much more likely to experience child neglect or abuse than children who are raised in nonviolent homes.

If you are involved in a relationship that is afflicted by violence, it is not only important for you to keep yourself safe from the offender, you also need to ensure the safety of your children. Fortunately, each state has child protection laws that offer protection to families that have experienced violence in their households.

Ending a relationship is generally a painful experience. However, in domestic violence situations, ending the relationship can be dangerous. When children are involved in the relationship, the situation is even more treacherous. In most custody disputes, a judge will attempt to maintain a relatively equal relationship between the child and both parents. However, in situations involving family violence or child abuse, the judge must consider child protection when making a custody determination.

Child protection laws vary from state to state. In cases of suspected child abuse, the state's child protective services agency will get involved to investigate the allegations and ensure the children are safe from threats of harm. These child welfare professionals are trained to investigate incidents of child neglect and abuse. They can also provide valuable information to a judge regarding a child's safety. However, investigations by child welfare workers can take a great deal of time. In violent situations, child protective services agencies may not be able to respond quickly enough to ensure a child's safety. When child protection is your main concern, consider filing a protective order to keep their offenders away from them.

Filing a protective order or restraining order will offer legal protection for you and your children. These orders are issued by a civil court judge to prevent a family member from being violent toward other family members. In most states, violence includes not only causing physical harm to others, but also the serious threat of physical harm. Protective orders generally prohibit the offending family member from committing further acts of family violence or threatening the victim. They also prohibit the offender from making contact with the affected children.

Protective orders are available in every state. They generally require that the abuser refrain from contact with the victim and children. If the offender violates the order, police will have a legal basis to intervene on your behalf, offering extra protection for you and your children.