More Than Half of Women Killed in San Diego are Victims of Domestic Violence

Posted on: July 10th, 2020 by Dod Law

San Diego is known as a friendly California beach town that has wonderful weather year-round. Several tourist attractions draw visitors from all over the country, and its proximity to Mexico and national parks makes it a prime destination for travelers. It has also been ranked as one of the safest cities in America for its low rate of violent crime. What many people may not know, however, is that San Diego is a hotspot for domestic violence.

According to a report by The Washington Post, 51% of women killed in San Diego in the past decade were killed by a violent partner. This is the highest of any city they researched. Some other facts that people may not know about San Diego are that San Diego County was the first in the country to open a family justice center in 2002. The San Diego Police Department has its own domestic violence unit to respond to these types of calls, and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office received a grant in 2017 to develop an algorithm that predicts which domestic violence are at risk of turning deadly.

Despite pouring several resources into domestic violence, intimate partner violence remains a pervasive problem for San Diego. This may lead to a court system that is more hostile toward people with domestic violence charges against them. If you’ve been accused of domestic violence, turn to attorney Dod of Dod Law for help with your case. Being convicted of domestic violence could cause you to forfeit some of your civil rights.

What Counts as Domestic Violence in San Diego?

Domestic violence laws in California make it illegal to harm or threaten people who are close to you, whether because they are related to you by blood or you are in an intimate relationship with them.

The California Penal Code defines domestic violence as abuse committed against an intimate partner. A person commits domestic violence when he or she intentionally or recklessly uses or threatens to use physical force against an intimate partner.

Who is an “Intimate Partner” in California?

When considering criminal law, an intimate partner is defined as:

• A current or former spouse
• A current or former registered domestic partner
• A current or former fiance
• A current or former live-in romantic partner
• A person with whom the accused has had a child
• A person the accused is seriously dating or has seriously dated in the past

Actions that the law prohibits between people in domestic relationships include physical abuse or threats of physical abuse. Related charges include domestic battery and corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant.

Contact Dod Law for Aggressive Criminal Defense in San Diego

Domestic violence offenses can be extremely sensitive. Often, these cases have scarce or conflicting evidence and instead have a “he said, she said” dynamic. If the victim has evidence of physical harm, it can be a challenge to attribute it to an outside force. There are often no witnesses besides the two people involved in the altercation.

When you need a competent attorney to fight accusations of domestic violence, contact attorney Dod. He has more than 17 years of experience protecting defendants with criminal charges. Attorney Dod has worked on more than 6,500 criminal cases in and near San Diego and has a 10.0 “Superb” Avvo rating. Call (619) 333-5134 for a free consultation today or complete our contact form.