New Jersey Domestic Violence Stats You Need to Know

Domestic violence is an epidemic that just won’t slow down. According to reports, a domestic violence incident occurs every 8 minutes and 52 seconds in the state of New Jersey. In fact, fatal domestic violence incidents have increased in New Jersey by 16 percent from 2014 to 2015. However, those are not the most alarming statistics.

The experienced domestic violence attorneys at the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone have compiled a list of New Jersey domestic violence statistics you need to see:

• There were 61, 659 domestic violence offenses reported in 2015
• 49 murders occurred because of domestic violence in 2015
• Most frequent occurrences of domestic violence occur on Sunday
• Most frequent hours of domestic violence incidents happen between 8 PM and midnight
• Females were victims in 74 percent of all domestic violence offenses in 2015
• Alcohol and drugs are related to 25 percent of reported domestic violence offenses
• Children are involved or present in 28 percent of reported domestic violence offenses
• Three out of four U.S. residents either have been involved or know someone involved in a domestic violence incident

Shocking, right? There are even more numbers that will, unfortunately, leave your jaw wide open in dismay, but we can provide even more information on those numbers another day.

What Constitutes Domestic Violence?

In New Jersey, the laws on domestic violence incidents are pretty straightforward. According to the law, domestic violence is defined as an occurrence of one or more of the following offenses:

• Homicide
• Assault
• Terroristic threats
• Kidnapping
• Criminal restraint
• False imprisonment
• Sexual assault
• Criminal sexual contact
• Lewdness
• Criminal mischief
• Burglary
• Criminal trespass
• Harassment
• Stalking

The police are required to arrest a suspect for domestic violence if a victim either shows or claims that an injury has occurred. The suspect can also be arrested if there is probable cause that an act of domestic violence has been committed, even if the victim doesn’t claim an injury. But, there are ways to avoid becoming another statistic.

Your first step should be filing a restraining order. Even if it falls through, you can still file for a temporary restraining order (TRO). But before you do that, contact our Law Offices before you take any legal action against your abuser; such as filing for divorce, setting up child custody and support, and, if the abuse was serious enough, file criminal charges.

If you need legal representation, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.