The story of a man dressed as Santa Claus who killed himself after shooting six of his family members in a Dallas home made headlines across the nation. This story has caused some to wonder if the winter holiday season has some sort of negative impact on peoples' emotions, causing them to commit violent acts.

It is certainly no secret that the holidays can be stressful for some people. Maybe it involves spending time with your less-than-favorite in-laws or hosting a large party. Despite the stress that can come with the winter holidays, it turns out that there are actually fewer acts of domestic violence committed in December than in most other months of the year, according to the Department of Justice.

In a 1997 study of hospital patients, the Justice Department found that the summer months -- June, July and August -- record the highest numbers of violence-related injuries. The study found that only 8 percent of the yearly violence-related injuries occurred in December. Further adding to this data, the National Domestic Violence Hotline reported significantly fewer calls on major holidays like Christmas Eve, Christmas and Thanksgiving.

This information gives us some insight into when violent acts most often occur. However, it gives us little knowledge on why domestic violence happens. Often domestic violence stems from an argument over something personal like finances, child custody or extramarital concerns. If an argument gets heated, it can escalate and become violent.

If domestic violence is reported to police, officers most often immediately arrest the person accused of being violent in order to protect the alleged victim. There is little time devoted to investigating the case before an arrest is made. Because of this, it is important that those who have been arrested for domestic violence know that they have rights too. Speaking to an experienced defense attorney may be helpful when navigating the legal system.

Source: Slate, "Beware the Mistletoe," Forrest Wickman, Dec. 27, 2011