Victims of family violence look for ways out. They look for safety, even if they cannot bring themselves to actually leave. However, once you reach that point, where you are ready to leave, the first step is a call to an Athens, Georgia, family law attorney. They will work with you to file for a Georgia family violence protective order. Next, they will work with you on getting a divorce and starting a new life.
Beware though, the abuse may not stop
While you are now on the path to freedom, be prepared for the abuse to continue. Indeed, according to recent research, after domestic violence victims leave their abusers, they still experience some form of abuse. This DV abuse can last for a short time, like weeks or months (up until the divorce is finalized), or for years or decades (even, after the divorce is finalized).
Economic and financial abuse
The first thing abusers pull is the purse strings. To the maximum extent possible, they will take away any access you have to cash and credit. They may even attack your credit report to make it harder for you to get a job or even get an apartment.
Personal and professional abuse
Next, they will terrorize you through your personal and professional network. This includes your family, friends, coworkers and even your boss. They may spread horrible lies about you to get people to take their side. For your career, they may try to make you look terrible, and even if your boss does not believe it, your abuser may go out of their way to bother them and the business. This could lead to your firing.
Do not forget to change your passwords to everything. They might take over every account you have, and if that includes social media, they may post things under your name. This could be exceedingly difficult to stop, and employers may have access to these posts for years or forever, thanks to Internet archiving, even if you can take it down.
Legal options
Of course, there are legal options that your Athens, Georgia, attorney can use to stop this abuse, or at least, mitigate its effects. Restraining orders, civil lawsuits and the family law judge can make this ongoing abuse illegal, which will, hopefully, stop it.
