It's a dependency case. Mother and Father are in a long-term relationship (six years) and have two kids together -- a one-year old and a two-year old -- but never marry. Father's in the Navy, and has been there for 13 years. He's deployed to Iraq in 2009.
Before he's deployed, there's domestic violence. One parent says the relationship's over, and the blows commence. Then, a month later, in an argument over moving expenses, one parent pours coffee over the head of the other. In front of the two-year old, no less. At which point the parent gets arrested for spousal abuse, and the victim gets a restraining order, etc.
The victim, of course, is Father.
