San Francisco, CA (May 18, 2009) -- Foreclosures, money woes, and layoff threats can be a recipe for relationship disaster. LegalMatch, http://www.legalmatch.com, an online resource that connects attorneys with people who need them, has reported a 13 percent jump in domestic violence cases since February, when the company first reported a startling rise in domestic violence cases posted on the site.
In contrast from previous years, in which LegalMatch noted much higher rises in divorce cases, the figures seem to show that more people have chosen to 'stick out' their marriages. But with domestic violence cases on the rise, some family law attorneys, psychologists and domestic violence advocates wonder if the bad economy is restricting couples from splitting up, but creating rising, and often dangerous, frustration.
Further underscoring this trend, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline, headquartered in Austin, Texas, reported a 21 percent increase in calls when compared between 2007 and November 2008.
In response to this alarming trend, LegalMatch has developed a new section in the Law Library dedicated to addressing the needs of domestic violence victims. LegalMatch.com provides resources to attorneys and consumers highlighting the rights domestic violence victims have under the law, including information about restraining orders, as well as advice on how individuals can effectively present their cases.
"We seek to provide domestic abuse victims with knowledge about their rights in hopes that it will empower them to do what is necessary to secure their safety," says Anna Ostrovsky, chairperson and general counsel at LegalMatch.
Running the data from this year's seasonal increases against the previous three years, LegalMatch found that while divorces once again rose, the 12 percent increase was considerably less than in previous years (which saw an annual average increase of 28 percent) Meanwhile the domestic violence cases ran upwards at a greater percentage than in past years (to 19 percent). These figures underscore the sad but true effect that poverty (impending or permanent) has on family relationships. And while money can't buy love, it can buy security, which may keep a marriage more stable.
LegalMatch is the premier online legal matching service. LegalMatch assists consumers with finding prescreened local lawyers while helping attorneys build and grow their legal practices. For more information on LegalMatch, contact Christelyn Russell-Karazin at (951) 203-1313.