Domestic Violence Awareness

Attorney Carlos E Sandoval delves into the sensitive issue of domestic violence. He tells us that “The fact that a person is undocumented does not mean that abuse should be allowed”, even less domestic violence perpetuated by a partner, parents, or children.

Examples of Domestic Violence:

• Physical abuse
  • Have you been spat on? Have you been thrown things at? Have you been pulled by the hair? Have you been bitten or scratched? Have you been burned? Have you been cut? Have you been pushed or grabbed too hard? Have you been kicked or thrown on the floor? Have you been hit with an open hand? Have you been hit with a fistful hand? Have you been choked or strangled? Has there been violence with children? Was the family pet been physically abused?
• Sexual Abuse
  • Have you been forced to have sex when you did not want to? Forced to perform unwanted sexual acts or to have sex with other people or to use objects? Forced to have sex after you have been physically abused or emotionally?
• Emotional abuse
  • Have you been called humiliating or degrading names? Have you been treated like a domestic servant? Have you been prevented access to money, checkbooks and / or credit cards? Is there attempt to control your daily activities such as the places you go, what you do and who your friends are? Have you been isolated from your family and friends? Have you been threatened? threatened to kill you? Or your family? threatened to harm or kill the family pet? Has this person driven in a dangerous way while you were in the car knowing that it caused you fear? Where you threatened to run away taking your children? Has this person threatened to commit suicide or made a suicide attempt? Have you received treatment for a mental condition?
• Refusing to present immigration documents, threatening to withdraw from immigration procedures, or threatening to involve law enforcement (call ICE)

If your answer is yes to any of these questions, we recommend seeking for help immediately.

1. Know that even if you are undocumented, you can call for help to:

• • The police at 911
  • In Spanish at the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233) or contact them through https://espanol.thehotline.org/
  • Women in Distress at (954-761-1133) or through https://www.womenindistress.org/help/en-espanol/

2. Get advice from an expert lawyer as you could qualify for various processes that exist for people who have suffered some type of abuse, such as VAWA, U visa, and / or T visa.

For consultations with attorney Carlos Sandoval, please call us at 954-306-6921.