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Virginia’s other new law forbids the defendent in a divorce case from visiting the home if his spouse can show a reasonable fear of physical harm. However, if the property is jointly owmed, there’s a 15 day time limit to the stay away order and so an early court hearing is encouraged.
Rappahannock Sheriff W. A. Buntin estimates that his department responds to “at least ten” spouse abuse cases each month. “We get a lot of them,” he says, adding that Rappahannock victims feel a little confusion about going through the Culpeper shelter because while it’s in the same planning district as Rappahannock, Culpeper is in a separate judicial district. Thus, victims need home town help in getting legal action, he says.
Commonwealth attorney Douglas Baumgardner reports approximately six or seven cases come to court each month, but about 80 percent of those are dismissed when the abused spouse decides to drop charges.
Lee Nettles at the Rappahannock Mental Health clinic says his office makes about half a dozen referrels each year to the Culpeper Women’s Shelter. But the majority of cases stay at home or can stay with family
92.7%