Domestic violence is not an uncommon charge. Just this week, three separate incidents related to domestic assault were reported by Vancouver, Washington, area news sources.

Domestic abuse can be physical, mental, emotional or sexual. In many cases there are no witnesses to any alleged assault or abuse, other than the two people involve in the incident. Three different domestic abuse stories, with three different results, are today's topic.

The first incident involves a guilty verdict of an Army sergeant charged with first-degree arson, assault, felony harassment and unlawful imprisonment. He was also charged with attempted murder for pouring lighter fluid on his wife's legs and lighting them on fire. The wife at first said she lit herself on fire accidently, and then changed her story. She claimed she lied at first because she feared for her safety. Her husband was acquitted of the attempted murder charge. He was sentenced this week to 10 years in prison for the other charges.

The second incident involves a Washington State Patrol trooper, whose wife has accused him of pointing a gun at her and hitting her. The officer has been arrested and was placed on administrative lead pending an investigation. No other details were released.

The third incident involves an elderly couple. The couple had been married for 46 years. Just last year, the wife obtained a protection order against her husband, fearing that he would harm her. The 71-year-old husband has since been charged with first-degree murder for killing his 71-year-old wife with a hatchet. He is being held in jail, pending an arraignment.

These three incidents making the news in a single week demonstrates to readers that domestic abuse is not an uncommon charge and one which crosses demographic boundaries. Any charge of domestic violence merits careful consideration. As with many other assault charges, the only two people who know exactly what happened, are the two people involved.

Source: KMAS, "Regional News Mar 28," March 28, 2012