Domestic violence is an unfortunate reality for many unhappy couples. Unfortunately, in many cases abuse victims remain with their abusing partner longer than they should out of fear for their safety. Even in cases where an abuser is able to safely separate from an abusive partner, abuse sometimes continues.
This is apparently the situation in an out-of-state case involving a husband whose wife was his abuser. The woman in the case is reportedly now in jail, however, because her ex-husband was able to catch footage of her abuse using a GoPro camera attached to his belt. He apparently took that measure after having been assaulted on previous occasions.
A couple things about the case are interesting. First of all, the case is a reminder that men are not always the abusers and women are not always the victims. Domestic violence, whatever form it takes, is still domestic violence. Second, it is significant that the man had to take such a measure to obtain proof of the abuse. This is all the more true considering that his ex-wife is caught on camera threatening to tell police he assaulted her if he called the police. The whole case points to a challenge male abuse victims can face with law enforcement—the tacit presumption that the man is at fault.
It isn’t known whether the ex-wife’s abuse will have any impact on the couple’s child custody arrangement. Under the law of most—if not all—states, domestic abuse can impact a court’s custody determination, since abuse certainly impacts the best interests of a couple’s children. When a parent is suffering abuse at the hands of a spouse or an ex-spouse, it is important to work with an experienced attorney to determine one’s legal options and to obtain advocacy to ensure one’s own safety and the safety of one’s children.