Written by Admin | Oct 3, 2018 5:00:00 AM
CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018 ® Volume 164, No. 194 Serving Chicago’s legal community for 163 years LAW FIRM LEADERS Domestic violence people who are in that situation. LB: Do you think the Violence Against Women Act should be reauthorized this year? damage too often JBI: I do think it should be reauthorized becauseit allowsad- ditional protection and remedies for women who have been abused … or any woman who has been a family law concern victim of violent crime.It has pro- visions that impose civil remedies where the prosecution elects not to prosecute. Ithink that’s important because sometimes in domestic vi- olence situations it’s ahesaid,she Attorney discovers there are many types of abuse; Jessica Bank Interlandi said and even though someone’s more than physical, mental and financial included story is believable, there is a bur- I also see what one thinks of tra- den of proof that has to be met that ditionally as domestic violence: might not necessarily be met by the BY SARAHMANSUR This interview has been edited for physical violence. evidencethat exists.TheViolence Law Bulletin staff writer length and clarity. LB: What motivatedyou totake Against Women Act allows for Law Bulletin: As a family law onthiskind ofwork,representing some additional remedies outside Displays of purple ribbons can attorney, you also represent vic- domestic violence survivors? of the traditional criminal pros- be seen across the country tims of domestic violence, I un- JBI: That area is of particular ecution that we might think of. during October — a symbol d e rs t a n d . interest to me because I think as LB:Isthere anythingyouthink to raise awarenessabout domestic Jessica Bank Interlandi:When someone who is a family law at- people get wrongabout victims of v i o l e n ce. I have mentioned [my experience torney, we are very uniquely sit- domestic violence, based on your ForJessica BankInterlandi,the representing victims of domestic uated to help people in that sit- ex p e r i e n ce? problem of domestic violence is one violence], people are always sur- uation because we are in the family JBI:Sometimesthere isa mis- shedealswith everymonthofthe prised to hear that even in a prac- law court. And I feel like this prac- conception that domestic violence ye a r. tice wherethere arevery high-net ticearea isaverygood vehicleto isalways visibletothe nakedeye. Interlandi is a partner at Schiller Domestic violence can take a lot of DuCanto & Fleck LLP. She rep- different forms that are not nec- “Sometimes there is a misconception that resents clients in a range of family essarily readily apparent. There law matters, including cases in- domestic violence is always visible to the are sometimes people who have volving claims of domestic vio- been the victim of emotional abuse l e n ce. naked eye. Domestic violence can take or a significant power imbalance The Daily LawBulletin spoke to which is what exists for every a lot of different forms …” Interlandi abouther experiencein domestic violence situation for a this area, as well as the Violence very long time. You can’t neces- Against Women Act, which created worth clients that domestic vio- allow the issue of domestic violence sarilyseethaton theoutside…In the first federal criminal law lence is actually very prevalent …I to be addressed whether it’s with most cases you can’t see it and against battering. see a lot of emotional abuse, I see a the court or with public service simply because you can’t see it or it The law, first passed in 1994, also lot of domestic abuse that takes the organizations or being on a board of wa s n’t reported for a very long provides funding for victim ser- form of financial deprivation and a domestic violence victim advo- time doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. vices in addition to establishing a exercising control over someone’s cacy organization. People need to be listened to care- civil remedy for women to sue their finances. I see a lot of coercive As a family law attorney, we have fully and heard. at t ac ke rs . control by one spouse over another. a special duty to be advocates for s m a n s u r @ l a w b u l l e t i n m e d i a .c o m Copyright © 2018 Law Bulletin Media. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from Law Bulletin Media.