Abuse:

Living with a spouse you are divorcing can be awkward and tension-filled, but it's often a necessity many men have to deal with either because of economics or the strategic edge gained by remaining in the marital home.

Until a court order is entered awarding one party exclusive possession of the marital home, both parties have an equal right to continue to reside at the residence.

Therefore, as long as there are no court orders in place, you and your wife are equally entitled to reside in the marital home.

But if your wife really wants you out of the home then it’s likely she could resort to filing a restraining order or similar order of protection to keep you out of your house even if there is no evidence to suggest a restraining order is warranted.

A system designed to protect from abuse is being abused. False allegations of abuse are increasingly rampant in today's family law courtrooms because of how easy it is to obtain orders of protection that give a huge advantage to one side - usually the woman's side.

Tom Lemons explored this injustice in his latest film "DVI: The Inside Story," a documentary that looks at the impact of false domestic violence claims and a legal system that favors those who lie to obtain them.

Lemons talked with MensRights.com editor Matt Allen about the tactical use of false allegations and the destructive, lasting consequences it forces on the man being victimized.

A Michigan woman who fled the state after refusing to turn over her children to their dad, the custodial parent, has been arrested and charged with two counts of custodial interference a.k.a. parental kidnapping.

This news comes as it’s also being reported that three children kidnapped four years ago by their mother have been located in Mexico and will be reunited with their family.

Men comprise 25–50% of all intimate partner violence victims in a given year and now researchers have published the first studies linking domestic abuse against men by their female partners to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, according to the American Psychological Association.

PTSD is a psychiatric condition that can follow the experience of a traumatic incident and the experience of intimate partner violence is generally considered to be a traumatic event.

Intimate partner violence, which includes physical, sexual, and psychological maltreatment of one partner against another, is a national social and health problem affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals and families a year, according to the study titled "Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Men Who Sustain Intimate Partner Violence" published in the April issue of Psychology of Men & Masculinity.

An organization devoted to improving the effectiveness of our nation’s approach to solving domestic violence has compiled and analyzed 50 domestic violence myths that are prevalent in today’s society.

RADAR (Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting), a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women, put together 50 popular domestic violence claims that are made by the media and various organizations and are even included in legislative bills.

The group says its concern is not merely in the large number of dishonest assertions but that the "widespread existence of such myths has come to overshadow the truth of domestic violence."

What follows are eight of the more revealing domestic violence myths, according to RADAR. Click the link to read all 50 domestic violence myths.

Were you ever falsely accused of physical and/or emotional abuse toward your spouse or children, usually to help your ex gain an advantage in your divorce case? Or are you worried that this situation might come up in your future custody battle?

Defending a bevy of false allegations not only potentially damages your reputation with the court, but it also costs time and money spent defending yourself.

While mere allegations of abuse are not enough to deprive a parent of physical or legal custody of the children, you will need to rebut any allegations with rebuttal witnesses and documents and point out why these allegations are just not true, according to domestic relations attorney Jennifer Paine with the law firm Cordell and Cordell.

If you are a male suffering from abuse, your dog may have a better chance than you of finding domestic violence support services.

Domestic violence shelters for household pets are now being established yet there are only a handful of shelters in the United States for male victims of abuse.

“I think male bipeds should get some support services before we start opening up temporary shelters for cats, dogs and hamsters,” said Dr. Tara J. Palmatier, a psychologist who runs the Shrink4Men website. “I think that pretty much sums up the domestic violence against men issue.”

Domestic violence against men is one of the many instances in which the laws are applied unequally simply because of gender. It doesn’t help that there are so few services available for abused men.

Jan Brown recognized this deficiency and is doing something about it.

Brown is the founder and executive director of the Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women that provides supportive services for victims of domestic violence, specializing in offering assistance to men in intimate relationships with abusive women.

The Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women is a nationwide toll-free helpline that is believed to be the only service of its kind that assists men nationwide.

Brown discussed her organization, its mission and resources available to abused men.

Dr. Charles Corry is one of the nation’s leading researchers on domestic violence against men and president of the Equal Justice Foundation.

Corry discussed with the Men's Rights website his research on domestic violence against men, primary aggressor laws that unfairly target men and myths about domestic violence.