My husband is a giant gamer. He has loved games — be they board or video — since he was a 4-year-old kid, and they are a big part of his life today. The thing is, two types of passionate gamers exist. There are people like my husband who treat it like the hobby it is, meaning he doesn’t prioritize it above me, our son, or his responsibilities. And then there are some men who treat it as the most important thing in the world, placing it above their obligations to their families. Truthfully, if my husband were the latter, I don’t think he’d be my husband any longer.
A father took his love of gaming so far that when his pregnant wife turned off his game during an argument, he attacked her.
According to Law & Crime, an Indiana dad, 37-year-old Danny Wall, was arrested on charges of domestic battery on a pregnant female and domestic battery in the presence of a minor after he flew into a rage over his video game. He allegedly lunged at her while she was holding their 5-month-old in her arms, according to an arrest affidavit reviewed by WBIW. He allegedly admitted to getting upset when the victim became frustrated with him for playing and unplugged his console.
Wall admitted to punching the TV screen and then turning to the 6-week pregnant woman.
Officers noted a hole in the living room TV’s screen, which was next to the child’s crib. The Mirror reported that their physical altercation included him allegedly pulling her hair, hitting the back of her head, and repeatedly slapping her. The affidavit states he told police officers that he “should not have hit her” and admitted to getting violent with her in the past. WBIW noted the mom was evaluated at the scene by emergency medical services and signed a statement refusing further treatment.
Because their 5-month-old was present during the fight, the Department of Child Services was contacted and a formal report was filed.
Wall also reportedly signed a domestic violence lethality screening and signed the domestic battery affidavit, Law & Crime reported. Though he was booked at Lawrence County Jail, he bonded out but put under a “no contact order.” He will appear in court on May 12.
According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 14.8% of women and 4% of men in the US have been injured as a result of intimate partner violence. That statistic includes rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. Another staggering reality is that 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) have reportedly experienced extreme physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, per the hotline.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter (domesticshelters.org).
