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Domestic violence is a terrifying reality, and a reality that many victims across Louisiana live with every day. Breaking free from a violent relationship can be difficult, particularly when individuals subjected to such abuse are unsure of their rights and options.

An attorney can help a victim seek protection and end an unhealthy marriage in order to live a life that is not punctuated with pain and daily fear. Securing a protective order is often the first step in this process.

We have previously discussed the high rate of domestic violence across the state. Last year, over 20,000 protective orders were filed in Louisiana, and Lafayette Parish had the third highest population of individuals seeking such protection.

While there are legal consequences for an abuser that violates a protective order, this can happen — a victim would do well to best protect themselves by:

• Changing their daily, predictable routine so that it would be more difficult for the abuser to find the individual
• Ending all communication and correspondence with the abuser
• Explaining to children in an appropriate manner the circumstances, and advise them to call police if anything happens

A family law attorney can then walk the individual through all the steps of a divorce. This includes arranging child custody, working out support payments and dividing property. While the process of breaking free from an unhealthy marriage can feel overwhelming and scary, it does not need to be done alone.

An experienced family law attorney can assist an individual fight for freedom and protection at every step of the way.

Source: Alexandria Town Talk, “More than 20,000 file for protective orders in Louisiana every year,” Adam Duvernay, May 13, 2013