How far can domestic violence take you?
Girls are not the only victims in this kind of case (Anibal Santos)
Although it seems difficult to grasp, domestic violence can happen anywhere including your school. Domestic violence, for those who are not aware, is the act of abusing another person physically or by use of threat, it can be something as serious as a slap to something seemingly playful as an arm tug.
Although some students are hesitant to admit being in a domestic dispute, there are others who have observed it on campus. Business major Scott Barnett, 22, recalls a day a couple of months ago when he was witness to a couple fighting. “They were getting pretty into it. I didn’t really want to involve myself because it looked as though they were just yelling … but then she slapped him.”
Barnett admits to walking away only because the victim did as well. “It seemed as though after she slapped him, the guy had enough and he walked away.”
Domestic violence in this case had a male as its victim. This usually isn’t the case in the minds of many when thinking about domestic-dispute victims. Zachary Balaban, 23, business major as well admits, “when I think about abused victims in relationships, I always kind of think it’s the girl. I mean you don’t really immediately assume that a chick beat up her boyfriend.”
According to California’s Domestic Dispute laws, a restraining order can be filed against a spouse, ex-spouse, family member, mother or father of your child, or a person regularly living at your home. A restraining order can be filed on a person if said individual harasses, threatens, attacks, or stalks another person.
Former Saddleback student Alex Castellanos, 22, political science major, just filed a restraining order against his former girlfriend for just a mere threat. She was to stay 100 feet away from his home, car, and work. Just a small threat can magnify into a court case that may end up on your criminal record and along with punishments the judge may order.
Domestic violence is a serious issue and many take it lightly. Couples who “play fight” may not realize that their actions could have consequences should their relationship go wrong somewhere down the road. Restraining orders can be filed if an individual has a sufficient amount of evidence to prove that another individual is a threat to them physically.
Your girlfriend or boyfriend may take something to heart and they may decide later to file a restraining order against you. So the next time you want to playfully hit your other half, think about the consequences.