Domestic violence is far too prevalent in the U.S. There are many people who deal with a violent or threatening spouse, parent, roommate or other party every day and struggle with the enormous impact of being victimized. It is a situation that is taken very seriously, and rightly so.
However, there is another side to domestic violence that may not be as visible: false allegations. Too many men and women have seen their lives turned upside down by an exaggerated or false claim that they have been or could be violent. Unfortunately, these types of allegations can and do arise in Tennessee divorces and they can have significant and costly consequences.
There are three primary parties who pay the price of untrue allegations of abuse or violence: the accused, the person lying and the children involved.
If you have been wrongfully accused of violence, you may find that you have to leave your home and stay away from your children. You can be enormously frustrated and feel like you have not been able to give your side of the story. As noted in this Huffington Post article, you can also suffer financial repercussions if you have to find a new place to stay and/or take time off work to deal with the situation. You can also face added costs associated with taking legal measures to defend yourself and challenge your ex's false statements.
If you are the person who has made false accusations, you can also face repercussions. Again, you may be dragging out an already-difficult and contentious legal battle and you aren't doing yourself any favors in the eyes of the court which may choose to penalize you for lying.
Finally, children can certainly pay a steep price emotionally when one parent is falsely accused of abuse. They may be robbed of valuable time with the parent wrongly accused and they can find it even more difficult to cope with their parents' divorce. Kids can end up hating that parent which can cause irreparable damage on the parent-child relationship.
If domestic violence is or was a factor in your relationship, you should certainly take steps to protect yourself and your family by seeking legal orders for protection. However, if you feel that your ex is making false accusations, discussing your options with your attorney can be crucial.