Divorce and Child Abuse

Marriages may break down for several reasons. The couple's finances may be in shambles, one spouse may have cheated on the other, or the spouses just may not get along anymore. Another leading cause of divorce is abuse.

Though spousal abuse is often thought of as the only type of abuse that leads to divorce, this is not the case. In fact, when a couple has children, they may become the targets of aggression. Child abuse is a serious offense and is punishable by law.

When one spouse is abusing the married couple's children, the other spouse may not know about it. Though the other spouse may have suspicions about child abuse, he or she may not be able to get the children to admit to any abuse, as children are often threatened by their abuser.

When your children are being abused, there are usually some telltale signs that indicate some sort of foul play. If you think your spouse is abusing your children, look out for the following signs:

Your children are unexpectedly doing worse in school

• Your children experience a sudden, inexplicable change in behavior
  
  


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  Your children seem distant or unemotional
  
  


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  Your children have signs of physical abuse, such as bruises

Any of these signs may indicate abuse. If you suspect abuse and have witnessed some of these signs in your children, you may want to confront your spouse or call the police. If your children are in danger, you are responsible for ending that danger.

When spouses do find out that their significant other is abusing the children, it often becomes a point of contention and for good reason. The offending spouse may face criminal charges, and the innocent spouse may want to file for divorce to ensure the safety of his or her children.

If you do decide to press charges against your spouse and file for divorce, it is important to hire an experienced divorce attorney to handle your case. Though you will likely receive custody of your children, there may be other matters to settle before the divorce is granted.

If your spouse abused your children and you now want to file for a divorce, let the Austin divorce attorneys of Slater Kennon & Jameson, LLP handle the legal aspects of your case while you tend to your personal matters

James Witherspoon

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