Domestic Violence

What Can You Do?

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Ask questions . . .

You may ask general questions like, "How's the marriage/relationship going?" or you can ask specific questions - "Has he ever pushed or hit you?", "Has he ever tried to intimidate you or call you names?". It is very important to understand that domestic violence doesn't always begin with physical violence and you must recognize some of the early warning signs of a possible violent relationship.

Know the effects of domestic violence

Education is critical to any help you might give to the victim. You need to understand that domestic violence can have serious and dangerous physical and emotional effects on everyone in the household. Share what you have learned with the victim because information can be a very powerful tool in helping her recognize and protect herself against any future violence.

You must respect her choices about when shecan or can't take certain steps. She is the expert here and she understands the relationship more than anyone else. She knows the safest time to take action.

Trust the victim's knowledge

Constantly remind her of her strengths and abilities. If she has suffered physical and emotional abuse for any amount of time, her self-esteem is very low and she may even blame herself for the violence. She may be scared to step out on her own. Make use of the words "I" or "I'm" - "I care about you." "I'm very concerned about your safety.", "I'm afraid the next call I get will be that you are seriously injured." Let her know that she is important to you.

Always give her positive feedback

Always be a good listener, let her talk and when its time for you to speak do not be judgmental in any way. The victim may have left the abuser before and then returned to the violence. You must understand that leaving takes time, sometimes years. It is easy to lose patience with some domestic violence victims, but leaving is a process and you must recognize your boundaries in order for you to always be supportive.

Be patient

A safety plan will help the victim know what to do and how to do it when she is faced with a violent situation. Your local domestic violence shelter or state coalition against domestic violence will help you understand this important plan.

Help the victim develop a safety plan

If you hear or witness a violent incident, don't hesitate to dial 911 immediately. When the police arrive, cooperate with them and ask to fill out a statement. You want to be able to document the violent episode and be prepared to testify in court.

Call the police

1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime

Here are the facts:

On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.

Source: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

We have within us the power to change our livesand the lives of those around us.

We strongly believe:

We can break the generational cycle of violence for children, teens and young adults by changing public attitudes and social norms to create a future in which lives are neither lost to nor limited by domestic violence.

Will you join us?

By working together, we can help educate ourselves and the public, which will allow us to collaborate throughout the United States to help stop domestic violence.

Join Us Today!