Restraining Order Abuse

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! In the 1990s, increasing political attention to the problem of domestic violence against women resulted in many pieces of legislation designed primarily to protect women, such as the Violence Against Women Act. An unfortunate side effect of this has been the incidence of systemic abuse by those the system was designed to protect. Restraining orders designed to protect against domestic violence or stalking have in many cases been used to separate fathers from their children, gain a tactical advantage in divorce proceedings, or simply to exact revenge when no demonstrable threat exists. Proponents of the current laws argue that access to restraining order protection must have low barriers to encourage women to seek help. Arguments for a minimal burden of proof focus on the precautionary principle - it is "better to be safe than sorry" and grant the order even if there is doubt as to whether violence is imminent, rather than to delay or deny the order and risk harm.... Mehr