Stories related to: domestic violence

Bad boy Dennis Rodman has been arrested for a suspected domestic assault that left a woman bruised, reports the Los Angeles Times . Police busted the flamboyant ex-NBA star at a Los Angeles hotel. His manager said that alcohol had been involved in the incident, and that Rodman has been struggling to cope with his recent divorce. Rodman was released on bail after a few hours in jail. More »

Despite lingering reservations about its effectiveness, the polygraph is gaining traction with law enforcement. The lie-detection program has spiked 53% in the last decade, and truth be told, just the threat of a test keeps convicts honest, drug addicts and sex offenders told the Wall Street Journal. “Don’t believe anyone who tells you polygraph doesn’t work,” one Oregon pedophile said. More »

An Australian woman said she had a "brain snap" when her boyfriend wouldn't let her play a Bruce Springsteen CD, CNN reports. She stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife, swallowed a handful of pills, then called emergency services. "I couldn't even play Bruce Springsteen on my stereo. Can you believe that?" she asked the arresting officers. More »

The Illinois attorney who represented Drew Peterson's slain third wife, Kathleen Savio, in her divorce from Peterson said yesterday that missing fourth wife Stacy had also made tentative contact with him about a divorce, just days before her disappearance. Drew Peterson told the Chicago Tribune he was "pretty shocked" by the lawyer's comments. More »

Violence in the name of family honor affects at least 17,000 women every year in Britain, and the number of unreported incidents may be drastically higher, the Independent reports. Forced marriages, sexual assaults, domestic violence, and so-called "honor" killings are reaching crisis levels, British officials say; they are calling on their consulates abroad to ramp up rescue efforts when daughters, some as young as 11, are sent abroad to marry against their will. More »

Researchers at the MIT Media Lab have created clothing designs that can detect domestic abuse, the Discovery Channel reports. Under the lining of garments equipped with the system, such as a hoodie prototype, is a web of fabric-based pressure sensors that can deliver specific information about the intensity and geography of forces exerted on the wearer's body. More »

India elected its first woman to the largely ceremonial office of president today, in a landslide vote among parliament and state politicians. Pratibha Patil's supporters hail her victory as a breakthrough for women's rights in the country, while critics assert her reputation is already marred by a slew of personal and financial scandals. More »

Sacramento Kings forward Ron Artest was charged Tuesday, March 20, with four misdemeanors stemming from an altercation with his wife earlier this month. The famously temperamental NBA player could spend time behind bars if found guilty on any of the four charges, which include battery and corporal injury to a spouse. More »

A new human rights report suggests that self-immolation is on the rise among Afghan women, who believe setting themselves on fire is the only sure way to end their agonized lives. The study interviewed the family members of 800 such women, who reported that rape, domestic violence, and accusations against their honor drove them to choose hellish death. More »