Sometimes, it can seem like you no longer recognize the spouse with whom you created a life and built a family. The person whom you once loved and trusted appears to have morphed into an angry, vindictive creature you no longer know.
Divorce can bring out the worst in some people, unfortunately. In those scenarios, the co-parents can easily lose focus of the common goal of doing what’s best for the children and descend into combative acts or allegations.
Aggression can clip your custodial rights
Spouses may attempt to goad their partners into acting out violently with the intention of having them arrested and subject to protective order restrictions. Someone under a protective order against their spouse or former partner could potentially be subject to supervised custody with their own offspring.
Not all allegations of abuse are true
Domestic violence remains a big problem here in the United States, and Virginia is no exception. However, not every accusation of abuse is rooted in reality. Some people fabricate injuries or even self-harm to place the blame on their partner in an attempt to game the custody system.
How to best protect oneself from false allegations
One of the simplest ways to prevent false allegations of abuse from being lobbed against you is to have every interaction with your soon-to-be ex-partner witnessed by a third party. This could mean doing the custody exchanges at your local police or sheriff’s department. In some circumstances, you might want to have a neutral friend accompany you to witness the custody hand-off.
Protective orders can be disputed
With the proliferation of Ring doorbells and other home surveillance systems, it is easier than ever before to access recordings of your interactions with your ex. Make sure that you utilize your own security system to capture these interactions so you can dispel any negative or spurious allegations of abuse.