If you live in the State of New York and are a perpetrator of domestic violence, watch out because Governor Cuomo signed legislation last week to strengthen the domestic violence laws in the state. Cuomo stated that reports from the U.S. Surgeon General say that offenders return to the same victim about 70 – 80% of the time. Based on these statistics as well as the numerous domestic violence tragedies within the state, lawmakers decided that it was time to close gaps in the current law and heighten awareness of this abuse.
Under the new law offenders who repeatedly harm their spouses, partners or family members, will face felony charges. The new laws created a Class E aggravated family offense. Basically, any perpetrator with a previous conviction toward a family member within the past 5 years will be prosecuted for felony. The state is also creating a specific domestic violence court for parolees. This will increase the focus on any parole violations and provide more safety for the victims.
If you are a domestic violence offender in New York, or anywhere else in the U.S., online domestic violence classes are readily and easily available to you. These classes are for individuals who are ready to take ownership of the problem and want to learn to how to stop the cycle for their own self-improvement or for those offenders who have been court ordered to take a class.
Course topics include an explanation of what exactly domestic violence entails. It’s not always straight forward physical abuse, but can include controlling behavior such as stalking, monitoring computer and phone usage, bullying and denying financial support or managing all of the victim’s purchases. Participants will learn skills in empathy, stress management and how their behavior is mentally and physically impacting the victim. Classes will make offenders think about their actions and teach successful techniques to change their behavior and stop the cycle of violence.
Online domestic violence classes can fulfill court mandates with the approval of your court system. It’s often very difficult to get to a class because it interferes with work or school, or is just too far away. Online classes enable the client to take the course from a web-based computer whenever it fits into the client’s busy schedule. Online domestic violence classes provide the same current material that would be discussed in a traditional classroom. However, taking a class from the comfort of your own home creates a more relaxed and private atmosphere than in a classroom full of other offenders. Many clients feel it also helps them to concentrate on the material more because they are not distracted by disturbances from other students.
Once you get the approval from your legal system to take a distance learning class, you can register at the click of a button and choose the course length you need to fulfill the requirement. The class is then immediately available and it’s up to you to finish it as quickly or slowly as you would like. The topics are divided up by chapter and at the end of the class, a multi-choice final exam is issued. This test can be retaken as many times as necessary to pass with a 70% or better. When you’re done, a certificate of completion will be mailed to you. This is the paperwork that needs to be presented to the court to prove you took the class.
Domestic Violence is a serious problem in our society and throughout the world. Without intervention, the violence continues and the consequences can be life threatening. If you are questioning your behavior or have already been prosecuted, take an online domestic violence class today!
