Sister in law punched wife-options?

[josh7328]

My sister in law is mentally unstable, and has been in and out of institutions for a long time. Last night she decided to randomly PUNCH MY WIFE IN THE MOUTH in the middle of a restaraunt, in front of my daughter. She's 17 or 18 and her spineless parents said NOTHING at all to her. This is not the first time this has happened. I am in Afghanistan, so I am limited in what I can do. I want to file a restraining order on the bitch or something. I refuse to let my wife and daughter to be exposed to that garbage. I sure wish my wife had pressed charges on the spot, but she didn't. What options do I have?

[Wiggity]

I'd talk to your brother and tell him he needs to keep his wife under control because next time you are calling the police

[josh7328]

I'd talk to your brother and tell him he needs to keep his wife under control because next time you are calling the police

Brother? I don't have a brother. what?

[J]

Brother? I don't have a brother. what?

He assumed it was your brothers wife. Instead it is your wife's sister. Both are sister in laws, just in opposite sides.

[josh7328]

He assumed it was your brothers wife. Instead it is your wife's sister. Both are sister in laws, just in opposite sides.

oh. gotcha

[cstone]

What does your wife want to come from this? Does she want a continued relationship with your SIL?

[josh7328]

What does your wife want to come from this? Does she want a continued relationship with your SIL?

No. She already told me that she doesn't. And I sure as hell won't have some young punk running around laying hands on my family. I've never hit a woman, but I worry about what might happen if I see her hit my wife.

The thing is, that her parents will still bring her around, despite our wishes. I feel like the only way to prevent that is with legal action.

[sneakerd]

Easier said than done, but you probably need to totally disassociate your family from the sis-in-law. Call this last one a freebie, the only one, and never go out with her again. Obviously, ya'll need to be very conscious of the possibility, and stay out of range and/or on guard at all times if family business forces contact.

[josh7328]

Easier said than done, but you probably need to totally disassociate your family from the sis-in-law. Call this last one a freebie, the only one, and never go out with her again. Obviously, ya'll need to be very conscious of the possibility, and stay out of range and/or on guard at all times if family business forces contact.

second time since I deployed that this happened. I just wish I could do something to protect my family from here.

[cstone]

No. She already told me that she doesn't. And I sure as hell won't have some young punk running around laying hands on my family. I've never hit a woman, but I worry about what might happen if I see her hit my wife.

The thing is, that her parents will still bring her around, despite our wishes. I feel like the only way to prevent that is with legal action.

Without getting too deep into your SIL's medical issues, are there triggers for her aggression? Are her outbursts completely without warning or can people who know her well kind of see her behavior deteriorate? Many times these behaviors have situational triggers or can be related to medication related issues (too much or too little, missing doses, etc...)

If your wife tells the family that she is not welcome in the home, will they respect your wife's wishes? Making this a legal issue without exhausting the possible internal family options may be counter productive. Obviously the safety of your wife and immediate family members is paramount, but as long as you and your wife want to maintain a relationship with your SIL, you will always have to deal with the potential for her aggressive outbursts.

Family stuff can be messy. I hope your wife wasn't seriously injured and she takes precautions to prevent further violence against her and other family members. I can only imagine how frustrating this is for you. It is yet one more sacrifice you and your family are making for us. Thank you for your service.

Be safe.