Going through a divorce is never an easy thing for any couple. However, in some cases, legal action from family law firms is necessary for one person to get out of an unhealthy, and even dangerous, relationship.

While there has been an increase in awareness of domestic violence and abuse, many recipients of these unfortunate circumstances leave them unreported either out of fear or even shame. If a spouse does not disclose this information to family law lawyers, there is no way that they can receive family law advice or take legal action against the culprit.

It’s been estimated that one in four women will at some point be a victim of severe violence by an intimate partner. While women are usually always thought of as the victims, men can also suffer from abuse. About one in seven men will find themselves as a victim of severe violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.

The reason it is so important to take action with family law lawyers or divorce attorneys early on is that these situations, if left unchecked, can escalate to hazardous levels. In the most extreme cases, these circumstances can unfortunately even lead to death.

Back in 2011, 1,509 women were murdered by men they knew. Of those victims, 926 were killed by an intimate partner, and 264 of those incidents occurred during an argument. There is sometimes no way of predicting when an argument may begin and if it might escalate to dangerous levels, making it even more important to take these situations to court.

It’s unfortunate that some spouses may stay in abusive relationships out of fear that people will look down on them for getting a divorce. However, thanks to increased awareness of domestic violence or abuse, divorce to escape from abuse is becoming far more accepted. Even now, researchers estimate that 40 to 50% of all first marriages, and 60% of second marriages, will end in divorce.

Finding reliable family law lawyers and taking legal action should happen before marriages become dangerous for the spouses.