Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Mistress Speaks Out

News reports last month confirmed that Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger have separated, and Shriver has hired divorce attorney Laura Wasser. Schwarzenegger hired legal counsel of his own, famed divorce lawyer, Robert Kaufman.

These high priced attorneys to the stars have battled each other before, most notably in the divorce of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey in 2005. Regardless of how low profile this divorce proves to be, it will probably be very expensive and potentially contentious.

Recently, the other woman, Mildred Baena, who was also the former housekeeper, has spoken out in an exclusive interview with Hellow Magazine. Baena reports that she did not know immediately that Schwarzenegger had fathered her 13 year-old son, in fact, she tells the magazine that, “It was as Joseph grew and I started to see the resemblance that I wondered — but it became more apparent as time went on. I knew Arnold was the father, and maybe as Joseph got older and began to look like him, he [Arnold] wondered. But he never said anything to me.” Baena did not reveal the news until a year ago to her son who thought it was “cool”.

Divorce and illegitimacy are not new, but the illegitimacy rate has increased 66% since 1980, due in large part to the fact that men and woman depend less on each other for economic survival, and the advent or birth control has created somewhat of a disconnect between sexual activity and the risk of having children.

Filing for Divorce

What happens in a divorce if you have fathered a child out of wedlock? First determine whether or not it is really your child with a paternity test. If the child is biologically determined to be your child, the child is entitled to the same legal protection as your legal child. For example, your child is entitled to child support, disability benefits and wrongful death compensation.

If you are the mother of a child who has been conceived out of wedlock, the paternity test is the first step to ensuring you can collect child support for your child. DNA testing can also be done to determine fatherhood.

State child support enforcement agencies can work with either the mother or the father to determine paternity and enforce child support payment orders. Enforcement agencies can also help locate absent parents. Keep in mind the responsibility to financially care for a child cannot be contracted away.

Thankfully, Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing the right thing and coming to the aid of his mistress Mildred Baena and her son. Sources confirm that while his extramarital relationship may have contributed to the dissolution of his marriage to Maria Shriver, the former governor is going to support his child “both financially and emotionally”. RadarOnline reported, “The scandal going public has really taken a toll on Mildred, so Arnold encourages her not to listen to what people are saying about her and just tells her to stay strong. Arnold has always taken care of the boy financially and he’s continued to do so generously amid this whole ordeal.”

If you have a child from someone who is not as noble or as responsible, it is time to talk to a lawyer.

Hiring a Divorce Lawyer

Divorce lawyers understand divorce laws and frequently deal with issues such as paternity, child support, property distribution, spousal support and child custody. Fathers and mothers can both request paternity testing and make sure that a child is properly reared and supported after the dissolution of a marriage.