Many people across New York are getting ready to celebrate and spend the holidays with friends or family. However, there are many people who are not so festive. This time of year can be very difficult for people who are lonely, suffering from depression, or dealing with high levels of family stress. The holiday season can often magnify these feelings and a person can end up engaging in some dangerous behaviors.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it may be important to discuss the correlation between the holiday season and domestic violence. According to reports, many areas see a rise in domestic assault calls during this time of year for many reasons.
To begin with, the holidays can make a person feel isolated or lonely if they do not have a close relationship with friends or family members. Because of these emotions, it may be easier for people to act out with violence in situations that do not call for such a response. People may feel as though no one cares what happens to them and maybe less concerned with the consequences of their actions.
People can also feel extremely depressed because of the stress and high-expectations they may feel at this time of year. The holidays can strain a person emotionally and financially, which can result in feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, or resentment. All of these feelings are capable of triggering a violent act.
Strain within a family can also push a person past a breaking point during the holidays. Many families in New York struggle with difficult relationships between family members. When anxiety and emotions are running high, it may not take much for a person to lash out on a parent, sibling, or spouse.
Understanding some of the events and emotions that can trigger violent reactions is just one way to try and prevent an incident from occurring. Unfortunately, there will still be many people who get into domestic altercations this holiday season and wind up facing criminal charges. Instead of taking on this serious situation alone, people who are accused of domestic assault in New York may want to speak with an attorney to defend themselves against criminal charges and work to identify appropriate alternatives to jail, including anger management, marital, or substance abuse counseling.