My Parents wanting to press charges and i don't...I'm 18?

Question

I am 18 and currently living with my bf who's 20. A couple weeks ago, we got into an argument and he slapped me, I slapped him back. After our 'fight' I decided to take a week to sort out my feelings, and went to stay with my mom and dad. After a week of minimal communication between him and I, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to move back in and work things out ON OUR OWN. Now, not even a day after moving back in with him, my parents want to press charges but I do not. We live in MD, my parents live in WV, so what are my rights, their rights, and our (me and my bf) rights? Can my parents press charges without my approval? What would be the best thing for us to do?

P.S. I REFUSE to move back in with my parents, because my mother is a control freak and yells at me for everything.

Thanks for your help..it is greatly appreciated

Answer 1

You both need some counseling if you get serious. You need to nip the physical anger acted out part of the relationship in the bud or it will be one of you calling 911 in the future.

If this isn't a serious relationship and you two are living together in convenience, I'd move out.

Answer 2

The first slap leads to the first punch leads to the first broken bone leads to the first swollen face which leads, well you get the idea. Yes, your parents can press charges, but without any kind of proof nothing will be done, other than the police have a record of when the beatings started. The best thing for you to do is let this boyfriend go. But you won't because you love him and he loves you, it was only one argument and I hit him back also. He said he would never do it again. Before 2008 is out, he will have hit you at least 3 more times.

Answer 3

There's not really a whole lot your parents can do, since you are of legal age. If you were to involve law enforcement yourself, then (in most states) the state would pick up any domestic violence charge whether the victim presses charges or not. Your parents can't prove anything happened. If you have children involved in this situation, your parents can contact childrens services to have them investigate your home. Legally there is nothing they can do other than that, unless you have already involved the police yourself. But keep in mind, if your boyfriend hit you once, he will probably do it again. And a slap can turn into a punch, and it may get worse after that.

Answer 4

First of all your parents can't press any charges. You are now an adult so that is up to you. Second - He should not be hitting you and you should not be hitting him. People who love each other don't do that. So you not your parents have to decide how you are going to live. They have no control over you since you are now and adult. You and your bf really need to get things worked out so you two will not be smacking each other any more. I will stop at that but you need to decide. Of course, if your parents are funding you or paying your bills then they do have some say so in what you do.

Answer 5

Is it such a bad thing that your parents are concerned enough about you to want to protect you from this man and from yourself? Imagine if YOU had a daughter and someone hit her - would YOU just think that it doesn't matter, or would you feel that she should be protected from a bully?...think about it.
It always helps to see things from other people's point of view as well as your own.

If you are going to go back with this man, don't keep giving him more and more chances. If something really awful happened which caused you both to get physical, that might be a shameful one-off, and you can both agree to control your tempers in future, but if it has happened before, or happens again, it is likely to escalate - don't ask me why, it just does.

It is not safe for you to live with a violent man just because you feel affection for him and he for you. Also you haven't got children now, but if you have them, it would spoil their chances for a normal life if you are all having to creep round in fear of this man.

You criticize your mother for being a control freak, hardly realizing or noticing that this man is cast in a similar mould and is also a control freak as you call it, trying to manipulate you through superior strength.

Be very wary, and think very seriously about continuing a relationship which you could easily leave at this stage. Some people just bring out the worst in each other, and it will never get better; but not every relationship is like that, and you need to find someone who will look after you and not bring you down.

Answer 6

Well it seems as if you have not one, but 2 dilemmas at hand to deal with!! A} You and only you can press charges, but since you both struck, you both go to jail on a DV Charge...Domestic Violence! Your parents have no part in this as you are of age..PERIOD>>AMEN {unless they have a limited legal guardianship over you, re; you're incapable of making proper decisions, on SSI, are Mentally handicapped etc.and it has all been proven) So, don't worry about any control your parents might try and exert..it will not work!!!
B} Your Boyfriend, no matter the excuse you wish to put up for him is now an abuser...{so are you, I might add, as you struck back without a need to defend life and liberty, etal) Yet, he did strike you 1st...ouch! You just might be headed for some serious trouble in the relationship department. PLEASE, for your sake, and his, not to mention those around you...GET SOME SERIOUS HELP..Both of You! Should you opt to think it'll all be OKAY...watch the news for a few months..see the women and kids~ due to this behavior that never got help at the onset...Remember all of the Lacey Petersons ~~~Good Luck to the BOTH of YOU...may the New Year Bring with it a Better set of Values

Answer 7

You are really in for a hard life if you stay with a guy who slaps you around. Most cases it is just the beginning and he will promise you he will never hit u again but it will continue and the beatings will get worse. Build up your self esteem and value yourself more than what u r doing now. Parents have all the right in the world to be concerned about your safety. Do u know how many women end up killed over domestic violence in a year???? Too many!!! Say you have children to this guy and his anger escalates, are u going to risk your children's safety of being abused?? Move closer to your parents and know they know what is best for u, u apparently don't. Emotional or physical abuse isn't love!!!!It's control and manipulative...

Answer 8

Well legally you are the only one who can press charges. But it's more important to ask yourself why you even WANT to live with this jerk who slapped you and why you won't press charges on him. Once he's figured out it's OK to hit you and you won't do anything about it, he'll just keep hitting you. Move back in with your control-freak mom, get 2 jobs so you're never home anyway, live there for 3 months and save enough for your own place, then go live on your own. And press charges on your jerk boyfriend.

Answer 9

Well to answer your question- no your parents can not press charges on him for you. Now I'm going to give you my two cents.....you have decided to forgive him right? Well ok, but you remember....if he hits you once he will most likely hit your again and if you forgive him again it will get way worse. I know this is not what you want to here but it is true. Hopefully for you if won't happen again but if it ever does, you leave and never go back. That doesn't mean you have to go live with you parents but it does mean you can't live with him or be with him. I know because I have been there. Even if you love him, it will never work expect as friends. But good luck.

Answer 10

confident with the aid of fact it nevertheless occurred once you have been 17 so it grow to be nevertheless a criminal offense. yet on account that he grow to be purely 2 years older than you that's not a legal yet a misdemeanor so it rather is in comparison to he will bypass to detention center, yet ought to pay a great, that must be as much as $5000 yet it fairly is all. So in the event that they're attempting to place him in detention center, no such success, yet they could nevertheless get him in hassle and could pay a huge positive. question isn't any count if the community government will care. although California is low on money so possibly they'll :)