Question

"wo police officers are called to investigate a domestic abuse incident. When police arrive, they find a married couple engaged in a physical fight where the man is on top of the woman and he is holding her down by the shoulders while she is scratching his face and arms with her fingernails.

After separating the two, both are assessed for injuries and an ambulance is summoned to the scene. The man has multiple scratches on his face, his neck, and on his arms. His eye is severely injured.

The woman has what appears to be a black eye and her clothes are torn and barely cover her underclothes. The woman stated that he insisted on sexual relations and began pulling off her clothes and she kicked him in the groin and tried to run away. He caught up to her and started to pull off her clothes and she was trying to fight him off. She also tells police that she does not want to ""press charges.""

The man told the officers that his wife was angry at him and he just wanted to have a little fun. Things got out of hand and she kicked him in the groin. He said that he just was trying to keep her from hitting him so he pushed her down. He doesn't know how her eye got injured but insists that he is the victim by saying, ""Look at me! Look at what that B_ _ _ H did to me!""

Who should police arrest in this situation?"
a. The husband should be arrested because he is the primary physical aggressor.
b. The wife should be arrested for scratching the husband.
c. Both should be arrested for mutual combat.
d. No arrest should be made since neither wants to press charges.

Answer 1

Based on the evidence indicating that the man initiated violence and attempted to force sexual relations, the police should arrest the husband for being the primary physical aggressor in this domestic abuse case.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the situation described, if the officers determine that the man is the primary physical aggressor and initiated the domestic abuse by attempting to force the woman into sexual relations, it would be appropriate for the police to arrest the husband. This action would align with law enforcement protocols that aim to protect victims of intimate partner violence (IPV).

It's crucial to note that regardless of the victim's reluctance to "press charges," law enforcement officers have a duty to address criminal behavior, particularly in situations suggesting domestic violence or sexual assault. The objective evidence, including the woman's description of events and the presence of injuries consistent with a struggle to resist unwanted sexual contact, supports the conclusion that the man instigated the violence and, as such, should be apprehended according to the law.