Domestic Violence

My heart hurts today thinking of a friend of mine who is being abused by her husband.  You know who you are.  PLEASE get help.  I love you!  Call me if you need to.  I am praying for you.

Domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone, yet the problem is often overlooked, excused, or denied. This is especially true when the abuse is psychological, rather than physical.



Noticing and acknowledging the warning signs and symptoms of domestic violence and abuse is the first step to ending it. No one should live in fear of the person they love.


Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under their thumb. Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you.


Recognizing abuse is the first step to getting help!


Domestic abuse often escalates from threats and verbal abuse to physical violence and even murder. And while physical injury may be the most obvious danger, the emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are also severe. No one deserves this kind of pain—and your first step to breaking free is recognizing that your situation is abusive. Once you acknowledge the reality of the abusive situation, then you can get the help you need.


http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm

• One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.


• An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.


• 85% of domestic violence victims are women.


• Historically, females have been most often victimized by someone they knew.


• Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence.


• Most cases of domestic violence are never reported to the police.


• Witnessing violence between one’s parents or caretakers is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next.


• Boys who witness domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when they become adults.


• 30% to 60% of perpetrators of intimate partner violence also abuse children in the household.


IF YOU NEED HELP


For more information or to get help, please call:


THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE at 1-800-799-7233


THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE AT 1-800-656-4673


THE NATIONAL TEEN DATING ABUSE HOTLINE AT 1-866-331-9474