A recent headline reading ‘Bam Margera Wants Everyone to Forget About This Relationship With an Ex-Fiancée caught the eyes of Pennsylvanians for a couple of reasons: One, Margera is a fixture in Chester County, and two, what the heck happened with this ex-fiancée of Bam's?

In short, Bam accused ex-fiancée Jenn Rivell of physical abuse during their time as a couple, with Margera even filing for a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order in 2006. The article states that the request for a PFA order “didn't hold up in the long run,” but the saga serves as a necessary reminder that females can be accused of domestic violence. In many cases, women face serious legal consequences and reputational harm due to these allegations.

Men Are the Stereotypical Face of Domestic Violence—But Should They Be?

When the average American thinks of domestic violence, they might conjure an image of a hulking man physically abusing a smaller, defenseless woman. While most data suggests that women are more frequently victims of domestic violence than men, the split is thinner than you might suspect.

One set of data found that men, in certain years, make up as much as 45% of domestic abuse victims. Other data states that one in four men have experienced domestic violence in their life, only slightly less than the reported one in three women who've been victims of domestic violence.

Statistically, women should be just as prepared to face an allegation of domestic violence as men.

Women and Men Face the Same Legal and Non-Legal Consequences of DV Convictions and PFA Orders

Pennsylvania categorizes certain domestic violence offenses as either misdemeanors or felonies. For a First-Degree Misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, a female defendant may face fines of up to $10,000 and up to five years in prison. For a Third-Degree Misdemeanor conviction, the defendant may face a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one year in jail.

More serious domestic violence charges, like aggravated assault, qualify as felonies. A felony domestic violence conviction could land you up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.

Women convicted of domestic violence will also face extra-legal consequences, which may include:

• Restricted access to one's children, or complete inability to see their children if they're imprisoned or stripped of parental rights
• Loss of a job and inability to gain quality employment in the future
• Inability to contact the person who accused the woman of domestic violence
• Lost quality of life due to hardship caused by a DV conviction

The stigma of a domestic violence conviction can be immense—just look at how Bam Margera's ex-fiancée continues to be associated with alleged physical abuse more than a decade after the fact.

Hire an Attorney If You're a Woman Accused of Domestic Violence

If you're a female accused of domestic violence, your first priority should be your defense. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his team will pursue that goal for you. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or submit your contact information online.