What Should You Know About Teletherapy and Domestic Violence?

The cases of domestic violence are increasing rapidly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. To avoid such a situation, the governments across the world are running awareness campaigns for the victims dealing with it. The victims of domestic violence need counseling and psychotherapy to get their life on track. But the stay-at-home orders have been the biggest obstacle when it comes to seeking mental health counseling. So what can you do now?

The good news is many mental health professionals are conducting online sessions through ‘teletherapy’. It allows victims to schedule a video chat with your mental health therapist and attend a session. Moreover, the charges of these sessions are covered through your health insurance plans.

Why therapy is necessary for DV convictions?

We don’t require therapy for other crimes, so why DV convictions require therapy? Let’s check it out:

Almost nobody likes to be violent against the people they love. Violence is an underlying cause of mental health issue or any unresolved issue, such as:

 

• Substance abuse and addiction
• Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)—Many veterans returning from war struggle with domestic violence issues
• Unresolved childhood abuse. Many perpetrators of domestic abuse were victimized themselves as children
• Anger management issues
• Depression and anxiety—both of which may be enhanced due to the current crisis
• Other types of mental illness

 

By requiring therapy, the law hopes to address the sickness, not just treat the symptom, in the hope of long-term recovery and preventing future crimes.

 

What to do if you’re a DV victim?

If you or someone you love is a victim of the domestic victim, contact Eric Thole attorney at law. If your family members, spouse, or anyone sharing your residence is erupting violence, you can always file DV charges against that person. Depending on the nature of the allegations, domestic violence can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony assault level offense in Minnesota. If the person gets convicted of a felony-level offense, the person might be stripped of his/her right to vote or own a firearm, and many other things.

So if you have been accused of domestic violence and need an experienced criminal defense attorney to protect your rights, Contact Eric Thole at 651-300-7389.